The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration on Wednesday decided to launch a special awareness campaign against tobacco use in the city in view of No Tobacco Day on May 31 besides ensuring that anti-smoking laws were implemented, said the Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Amer Ali Ahmed.
Representatives of various departments involved in anti tobacco laws were also present.
The campaign would be administered with the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP)’s aid and would set up a Tobacco Control Cell which would distribute banners, pamphlets and other material amongst the public in the Blue Area. Children would be given anti-tobacco material during morning assemblies at educational institutions and the cell would also collaborate with other organizations to arrange exhibitions.
The DC said that the ICT administration has adopted a zero tolerance policy towards sheesha smoking in the city, eliminating it completely. He also reviewed the progress of previous anti-smoking drives and the implementation of anti-smoking laws in the city, praising the ICT for an effective anti-smoking drive with the Federal Directorate of Education (FDA), Capital Development Authority (CDA), media and ITP’s cooperation.
The Tobacco Control Cell successfully has checked smoking at public places like hotels, hospitals, parks, offices and bus stations, adding that smoking in public places had decreased as the populace had become more aware about anti-smoking laws.
The DC said that all assistant commissioners have been conducting checks in their areas to curb violations regarding advertisements’ size by tobacco companies.