ISLAMABAD: Health activists on Friday said that the move of the Tobacco Industry to regularize Heated Tobacco Devices will put the health of Pakistani children in grave danger. Head of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Malik Imran Ahmad said that the tobacco industry products are responsible for the loss of 170,000 lives every year, is trying to launch more deadly products.
He added that since Pakistan’s independence, there hasn’t been a single day where the tobacco industry hasn’t directly hurt children in the country. In a press statement, he said that the industry of Tobacco needs children and kids for their deadly products.
This industry believes that the life of Pakistani children is cheap and meaningless therefore they try all possible means to earn money at the expense of children’s health, he added. Whether it is deceptive and misleading campaigns to gain more customers or directly interfering in public policy, the industry tries to throw dirt in our eyes, he remarked.
Government should restrict tobacco industry: Experts
Pakistan’s Lead Tobacco Control and former official of the government Tobacco Control cell Dr. Ziauddin Islam said the tobacco industry sees Pakistan as a “key trial market” for nicotine-based products and children are its test subjects.
Tobacco Industry is promoting and marketing novel products without restrictions, he added. He mentioned that claims of these products being cessation items is one of the biggest fallacies going around.
These products are nothing but a new gimmick to early more money, he added. He asked that there should be a complete ban on nicotine products and the authorities should adopt legislation at the earliest to save Pakistan’s youth.
Industry of tobacco does not care for health of kids
Khalil Ahmed Dogar, Program Manager SPARC, said that the tobacco industry has repeatedly proven by its actions that it doesn’t care for the health and lives of Pakistani children.
It is up to the government, civil society, academia, and media to unite and put a barrier against this industry which is trying to derail our future by putting our children at risk. There’s a dire need to adopt a sustainable National Tobacco Control Policy which ensures that anti-child move is made now or in the future. — APP
