Increase in excise tax on cigarettes sought

PESHAWAR: A delegation of Aurat Foundation called on Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations Syed Mustafa Kamal and Coordination and demanded tax increase on tobacco and nicotine products in the upcoming budget.

Ms Mumtaz Mughal, director Programme of Aurat Foundation, in a statement, said that Pakistan currently ranks 54th among 84 countries for tobacco smoking prevalence. Alarmingly, she said, tobacco advertising disproportionately targets youth, particularly young girls, adversely affecting their health, education, and future prospects. According to recent statistics, she said, approximately 31.9 million adults aged 15 and above - 19.7percent of the adult population - are current tobacco users.

She said Safdar Raza, the team leader, explained that according to a recent study about 31.6 million adults (aged 15 and above), or 19.9 percent of the adult population, currently use tobacco, including 17.3 million smokers and tobacco use is linked to more than 160,000 deaths annually in Pakistan. She told the minister that the total estimated economic cost of smoking-related diseases and deaths amounts to 1.6 percent of Pakistan’s GDP each year.

Without an increase in tobacco taxes, she said, more than 490,000 individuals are projected to start smoking in Pakistan by 2025-26.