Citizens stressed the need for efficacious implementation of tobacco control laws across the country and to curtail the sale of smuggled and non-compliant tobacco products.
They also asked the authorities to make a proper strategy to prevent sale of tobacco to minors.
Expressing dismay over the flagrant disregard of anti-tobacco laws, citizens said effective implementation of regulations will only serve the purpose of tobacco control.
They said sincere efforts were needed, as smoking in public spaces, tobacco advertising and promotion, availability of duty-evaded and attractive looking smuggled brands in the market were still widespread.
According to available data, more than 15 billion smuggled cigarettes are sold annually in the country.
This illicit trade not only causes an annual loss of more than Rs 10 billion to the national exchequer, but also undermines the public health agenda as these products fail to comply with regulations issued by the government, citizens complained.
Most packs do not even carry the Urdu health warning while the regulations prohibiting consumer promotions are also being violated, they added.
When contacted, an official said in line with the spirit of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the government has already enacted various tobacco control measures through the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002.
The law contains provisions restricting smoking at public places, restricting advertising and promotion of tobacco products and prohibiting sale of cigarettes to minors.
He said Pakistan is the 5th country in Asia, and the 26th country in the world to have introduced pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs under the Cigarette Printing of Warning Ordinance, 2002.
Briinging a law to control use of tobacco in the country is a commandable effort but law is useless unless it is implemented with full force.We have law in places since 2002 which prohibit smoking at all public places including hotels and restaurants but fact is that there is hardly any restaurant in Karachi which provide smoke free environment to its customers.
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