‘World No-Tobacco Day’: ‘Local cigarette companies violating rules by offering reward schemes’

ISLAMABAD: Local cigarette companies continued to violate the rules of the Ministry of Health by offering reward schemes on cigarette packs including cash prizes.

At the occasion of “World No Tobacco Day”, experts told Business Recorder that the government institutions have so far failed to implement the said laws.

Another key area where health laws are being violated are smuggled cigarettes that have taken alot of market share especially after recent unprecedented hike in FED in February thus year.

On the occasion of the World Anti-Tobacco Day, the local companies openly violating the laws and started free cigarette prize schemes to allure the youth towards smoking, they said.

According to the details, the Anti-Tobacco Day is being observed across the world, including Pakistan, with the aim of discouraging smoking. Pakistan currently has dozens of anti-smoking laws, but their implementation is almost non-existent.

According to the Ministry of Health Act Tobacco Advertisement Guideline 2009 and other laws, advertisement of cigarette packets is prohibited and any company using free cigarette scheme, reward scheme, cash prizes, picture of any animal or human for sale of cigarettes is prohibited. However, these rules are being flouted by local cigarette companies in the market by offering regular reward schemes like motorcycle, Umrah tickets, one free cigarette pack for five cigarette packs, cash prizes.

These local manufacturers are openly violating the health regulations set forth SRO 53(KE)/2009 which prohibits any cash rewards on smoking, SRO 655(I)2003, SRO 1086(I)2013 restricting the use of celebrity, sports, human element and animal silhouettes on cigarette packs as well as to advertise the tobacco products.

According to health officials, all cigarette manufacturers are bound to follow these regulations otherwise they would not be allowed to sell their brands. On the other hand, these illicit manufacturers openly flout these regulations by offering free gifts; cash back rewards, free sampling, cash offers, use of human or animal pictures to attract consumers etc.

According to the Cigarette (Printing of Warning) Amendment Ordinance 2002, no person shall manufacture packets of cigarettes; or sell or offer for sale cigarettes from packets of cigarettes; or possess or sell or offer for sale packets of cigarettes, on which the mandatory pictorial health warning is not printed as required by Section 3 of the ordinance.

A fine of Rs5,000 is imposed for first time violation while for repeated violation, imprisonment for three months and a fine of one lakh rupees can also be imposed. But the lack of seriousness of the concerned government bodies is major issue in implementing these laws and the companies are busy promoting their cigarette brands to attract the young generation to smoke.

Health experts believed that only stringent action against these law violations and proper implementation of relevant laws can help save our youth.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023