Tobacco advertising

Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship help the tobacco industry make smoking popular among the youth. The tobacco industry actively engages in CSR activities especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in an attempt to develop goodwill among the public and cover up the fact that they sell addictive and deadly products. Such promotional activities should be banned completely.

WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) requires prohibiting the CSR activities of the tobacco industry because they inherently promote tobacco use, tobacco companies and tobacco product brands. Nearly 28 counties have banned CSR sponsored by the tobacco industry. Furthermore, The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health (amended bill 2016) tabled in the Senate is a compliance of the FCTC and an attempt to save our next generation from tobacco addiction.

Syed Akhtar Hussain

Islamabad