ISLAMABAD – Public health advocates in Pakistan have raised concerns about the tobacco industry’s persistent efforts to obstruct tobacco control initiatives in the country.
The tobacco industry’s strategy to disrupt tobacco control initiatives, particularly during pre-budget months, has once again come under scrutiny by public health advocates.
According to activists, the tobacco industry’s misleading campaigns aim to distract the public, especially the youth, policymakers, media and the government of Pakistan, from its true intention: to earn profits at the cost of public health.
They have expressed concerns about the widespread dissemination of false statements by the tobacco industry which only serve to conceal the harm caused to the people of Pakistan. The tobacco industry has made every attempt to expand its business while endangering the future of Pakistani youth and children by luring them with its harmful products.
These efforts include attempts to block or weaken tobacco control measures such as taxes on cigarettes, smoke-free laws, sales to minors, and promotional and advertising restrictions. The tobacco industry’s efforts to divert attention from public health initiatives include using celebrities and social media to attract youth with falsified claims, spreading false statistics and myths to downplay the harm caused by their products, and, most recently, maligning government departments and officials who support tobacco control.
These attempts are driven by their financial interests in maintaining and increasing tobacco sales despite the established health risks associated with tobacco use. However, public health advocates, researchers and policymakers continue to work towards countering these efforts and implementing evidence-based strategies to reduce tobacco use and its impact on public health.
Tobacco control remains a crucial issue in Pakistan, with smoking-related illnesses imposing a significant burden on healthcare systems and contributing to preventable deaths. Despite being a signatory to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the number of smokers in Pakistan has reached up to 31 million. The cheap and easily accessible nature of tobacco means that approximately 1200 children start smoking every day, and nearly 170,000 lose their lives every year due to tobacco-induced diseases.
In response to these alarming developments, activists are calling on the government to remain vigilant and resolute in their efforts to combat the tobacco epidemic, ensuring the implementation of evidence-based policies that protect the health and well-being of all citizens.
