‘Need to display tobacco-free signage at business houses in Karachi’

KARACHI: Programme Manager of the International Union Against Tuberculosis & Lungs Diseases (The Union) Kathy Wright has underscored the need for displaying tobacco and smoke-free signage at the business houses in Karachi where although some progress has been made during the last two years but there was still a long way to go as the compliance with relevant laws was poor.

“In order to save people from the harmful effects of tobacco, we need to come together and work collaboratively as it is not just the responsibility of one person, one institution, one leader or one department but every department and every person has to play a role to ensure strict compliance,” she said while speaking at a meeting of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI).

Kathy Wright, while appreciating the efforts being made by Karachi Chamber, stated that KCCI realised the significance of this programme and made commitment to help in improving the compliance for tobacco control laws which would ultimately protect people from this threat.

“Congratulations and thank you for your support and I hope that we continue to receive this support from Karachi Chamber in future.”

She said that appropriate display of no-smoking signage were very crucial and most effective way to raise awareness amongst people about the laws whereas training must also be imparted to officers from enforcement agencies across Karachi who were responsible for implementing these policies.

“Signage is very important. We need to come together as a community and every business house should have signs,” she added while requesting KCCI to encourage maximum number of business houses to place smoke-free signage at their premises.

President KCCI Tariq Yousuf, in his remarks, stated that in Pakistan tobacco use via cigarette has gone down mainly due to inflated prices of cigarettes but the other mode of tobacco use, i.e., chewing tobacco has risen which is made with a blend of really hazardous substance.

“Although the government has imposed complete ban on sale and manufacturing all such extremely dangerous products but these were widely available all over Karachi,” he said, adding that a mafia of unregistered and unbranded tobacco manufacturers were active in the city and it was really worrisome that there was no control, therefore, the Sindh government has to play an effective role to strictly deal with them so that our youngsters could be saved from falling prey to such chewable tobacco products.

“Any initiative taken to save our society from this threat by The Union will be fully supported by the Karachi Chamber,” he added.

Chairman Health & Education Sub-committee Farhan Ashrafi and KCCI Managing Committee Members were also present on the occasion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023