Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), organised a session on "To encourage ban on advertisement of tobacco products", here on Tuesday. Dr Naushen Hamid, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of National Health Services, said that health is top priority of the government and no one, under no circumstances, will be allowed to jeopardize the health of our children and youth.

Barrister Ali Saif, Member, Senate of Pakistan, appreciated the decision by the government and ensured his full commitment to this cause to safeguarding Pakistani youth from harms of tobacco.

Malik Imran Ahmad, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Pakistan Office, welcomed the decision by government. He shared that big tobacco industry has made huge profits at the expense of health of Pakistani Citizens. A major cause of this has been the leniency in the law regarding advertising of tobacco products. Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-smokers Health Ordinance 2002, imposed a ban on advertisement of tobacco products in print and electronic media. However, the ordinance allowed display power walls and posters of tobacco products at the point of sale. Due to this, the sale of tobacco products remained alarmingly high.

Sajjad Ahmed Cheema, Executive Director, SPARC, said that youth is the prime target group for tobacco industry. 1200 children start smoking daily in Pakistan. A huge proportion of the middle school, college and university students have access to internet and online shopping portals. These portals are selling tobacco products online which has contributed to spreading the menace of tobacco in our youth.

About power walls and posters at point of sale, Col Azhar Saleem (retd), CEO, Human Development Foundation, said that on instruction of tobacco industry, the vendors put tobacco products at cash counters at eye level of children to attract them towards their products. The ban on power walls and posters at point of sale will help in reducing these tactics.

Ch Sanaullah Ghuman, Secretary General, Pakistan National Heart Association (PANHA) stressed upon the need of strict implementation of the law. He mentioned that Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-smokers Health Ordinance 2002 bans vendors from selling and promoting tobacco products within 50-meter radius of educational institutions. However, the implementation of the law is minimal.