This was said by a number of participants, including parliamentarians in a seminar on 'Tobacco control' organised by the Network for Consumer Protection here on Saturday. They were of the view that raising taxes up to 70 percent on tobacco products should be an affective counter strategy against growing demand of tobacco. They recommended that there is need to establish an excise and taxation cell in Tobacco Control Cell to monitor existing tobacco tax patterns in Pakistan and to devise a policy to raise prices and impose higher taxes on tobacco. During the seminar recommendations were also made for rotation of pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs and enforce comprehensive ban on Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS).
The participants said that tobacco industry is promoting its brands at point of sale under patronage of provincial governments that needs to be discouraged by implementing Comprehensive ban on Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS). Shafqat Abbasi, Chairperson of Press Council of Pakistan, emphasised that tobacco control needs to hold social and public dialogue. He emphasised media to follow ethics of good journalism for furthering tobacco control. Currently, the role of Pemra and Media become more significant to adopt tobacco control policies. He appreciated the best examples of responsibility of media in Pakistan. He also appreciated the previous achievements of behavioural change, which is slowly taking place in our society towards tobacco control.