Cigarette manufacturers continue flouting health ministry’s laws

Islamabad: Local cigarettes manufacturers continue flouting health ministry laws regarding cigarettes advertisement and promotion. Local manufacturers are offering cash prizes and other schemes which is a clear violation of regulatory directives of ministry of health.

According to details, as per the health ministry law, tobacco advertisement guidelines 2009, tobacco advertising is completely banned and cigarette manufacturing companies cannot offer cash prizes, incentives or gifts to enhance sale neither these companies can use images of animals and humans on cigarettes pack. However, local manufacturers are continuously violating the regulations and offering different prize schemes that include motorcycles, Umra tickets, one free cigarette pack on buying of 5 cigarettes packs etc.

According to the SRO of tobacco advertisement guidelines, offering free incentives like free cigarette samples and other such discounts are not allowed. Relevant government health departments failed to implement of tobacco-related laws and regulations while on the other hand local cigarettes manufacturing companies of which some are owned by parliamentarians are continuing their efforts to increase tobacco use in youth by illegal promotion activities.

These local manufacturers not only violating the advertising guidelines but also evading billions of rupees due to non-payment of taxes. Statistics suggest that illicit tobacco trade in Pakistan had risen to an alarming extent to dent the legal tobacco industry. Resultantly, the pervasive tobacco black market was causing a loss of an estimated Rs40 billion to the national kitty, annually. Tax evasion allows the local companies operating in AJK and KPK to offer incentives as their cost of manufacturing does not include announced minimum taxes.

Shopkeepers in major markets of twin cities are openly selling illegal cigarette packs with a price of around Rs15 to 35 which is far below than the minimum price of 20 cigarettes pack which is Rs48.

People living in poverty are the main target of these illegal cigarette manufacturers as they wilfully buy the tax evaded cheap cigarettes. Quality of tobacco also compromised in these low priced cigarettes. Authorities need to intensify the efforts to control such illegal activities and bring the wrongdoers to justice. To achieve its tax collection target and control proliferation of non-tax paid illegal cigarettes, the government should focus on continuity of policy measures and ensure their effectiveness by monitoring compliance of the minimum pack price as stipulated by law.