Prohibition of smoking in public transport may be included in challan forms

Islamabad
Efforts are afoot to have Section 6 of the Anti-Smoking law, which prohibits smoking in public transport, added to challan forms following approval by the Law Division. Once enforced, habitual offenders will be fined up to Rs100,000; the offence will also entail the risk of imprisonment.
Dr. Minhaj-us-Siraj, deputy director general (health) and project director of the Tobacco Smoke-Free Capital shared this piece of information at the start of a three-day anti-smoking campaign launched by Senior Superintendant Police (SSP) Islamabad and his staff on major roads of the capital city here on Tuesday.
Tobacco Smoke-Free Capital, a project of Capital Administration & Development Division (CADD), is struggling to protect future generations from disabilities and cancers caused by use of tobacco. “Tobacco companies use urea compounds to add addictive flavors to their products. Urea is a major component of urine and fertilizers. This explains the brand loyalty of smokers because they get addicted to these flavors besides the killer substance nicotine, in tobacco products including cigarettes,” Dr. Minhaj said.
The ICT administration has conducted several raids in the past months to curb ‘sheesha’ smoking and sale of illicit tobacco including cigarettes, ‘gutka’ and smuggled ‘naswar’ or snuff. These smokeless tobacco products contain at least 28 cancer-causing agents.
The offices of ITO have been declared tobacco smoke-free and the law enforcement agency is now determined to keep public transport vehicles free of smoking.
Dr. Minhaj eulogised ITP officials for committing to the task. He said, his field staff has reported extreme observance of anti-smoking law in public transport over recent months. He also urged the traders’ community of Islamabad to clear their racks of illicit/ smuggled tobacco, and to desist from selling cigarettes without license from the Excise Department by end-May 2015 in order to keep safe from the ire of law enforcement agencies.
The Smoke-free city campaign, Dr. Minhaj informed, will soon be replicated in ten major cities of all provinces.