While speaking at launching ceremony of a survey report on "Status on enforcement of tobacco control laws in Pakistan", compiled by Coalition for Tobacco Control (CTC) at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, Dr Riaz Yousafzai, Chief Executive Birds Organisation and CTC member has termed the smoking as the single largest preventable cause of deaths.
He said the laws are being enacted against use of smokeless tobacco in the country, but their implementation is completely negligible. "There is no safe level of exposure of tobacco smoking. Active smokers as well as passive smokers (apparently non-smokers) are becoming victims of dangerous diseases of lung, including cancer, tuberculosis, heart and others, including obesity, diabetes, liver and GIT diseases," he added.
Dr Riaz suggested making all public places and public transport smoke-free by strict enforcement of anti-tobacco laws across the country. He also urged the media to play its due role to create awareness among public against the use of smokeless tobacco and its repercussions on health.
Dr Riaz said his organisation in assistance with CTC had compiled a consolidated survey report on use of tobacco in 23 cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said it was revealed that ratio of tobacco smokers in Peshawar is high, due to weak enforcement of relevant laws by the authorities concerned.
Qasim Khawaja, CTC official said that a number of cigarette selling points have established in various parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but the authorities concerned didn't take action as per relevant laws. He suggested that the formulation of a National Action Plan for strict implementation and establishment of provincial tobacco control cells with adequate financial and human resources to counter the challenges in collaboration with civil society for efficient tobacco control in the country.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017