Pakistan: New Government Should Discourage Growing Tobacco Usage: PEW  

Source from:  ONLINE International News Network (pk)  06/05/2013

Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) has asked the new incoming government to seriously discourage growing usage of tobacco including imposing additional taxes on tobacco industry in upcoming budget.　

In his Sunday statement, President PEW Dr Murtaza Mughal, has expressed concerns that despite all half-hearted efforts including the Anti-Smoking Ordinance, tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke continues to grow and remains as the leading preventable cause of death and disease.
He further deliberated that tobacco usage also results in productivity losses especially among the less fortunate people of the society, economic losses, and a substantial burden on the health-care system which can be reduced.

Murtaza Mughal suggests that government can slap additional taxes on tobacco industry in the upcoming budget as an effective tobacco control measure which can discourage its use to an extent that no longer remained a significant public health problem.

Authorities can also consider amendment in the existing laws which have not proved very effective to discourage the use of tobacco, thus reducing illness, disability, and deaths.

"Comprehensive ban on tobacco advertisement and breaking the tobacco marketing network is imperative to save thousands of lives across the Country", he said.

Tobacco kills one hundred thousand people in Pakistan annually, while leaving millions affected; while globally it kills some six million people each year including six hundred thousand non-smokers dying by inhaling second-hand smoke. Enditem