Activists object to bids by tobacco firms to get products regularised

ISLAMABAD: Society for Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) urged all the stakeholders to play their role in protecting Pakistani youth from harmful innovative tobacco products. Health activists raised alarm on the recent attempts by tobacco industry to get the heated tobacco products regularized.

The activists mentioned that the potential harms of innovative products such as nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices, must be recognized and their sales and promotion must be banned.

Dr. Ziauddin Islam, Country Lead Vital Strategies, mentioned that contrary to tobacco industry’s claims, innovative products are harmful as they contain nicotine which serves as a gateway to many other forms of substance abuse and may cause serious health and mental health issues among youth. These products are claimed as cessation products but in fact, are new forms of addiction.

The research claiming that they’re less harmful than cigarettes are all funded by tobacco industry. The independent research has warned about their harms. He appealed the Cabinet not to approve any move asking to legitimize novel products.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022