Speaking at a seminar organised by Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), he said around 1000 to 1200 Pakistani children between the ages of 6-15 years start smoking every day according to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) results of 2015. Pakistan's population consists of 60 percent youth below the age of 25 where alarming statistics of young people getting addicted and at risk of tobacco consumption call for strict tax reforms and checks for selling cigarettes to the minors particularly.
"The worrisome aspect is the healthcare burden, which is 143 billion rupees compared to revenue generation, which only stands at 83 billion rupees currently, leading to loss to federal exchequer," Atta admitted. Tobacco Control Cell of Ministry of National Health Services director Dr Ziauddin Islam said the volume of illicit trade is very low as claimed by the tobacco industry and the data presented to the government by the industry is also challengeable.
He informed the participants about the finding of FFO study; ie. 15.95 percent of the cigarettes per day consumed in Islamabad, classified as illicit. Islam said these cigarette brands failed to comply with the six-factor criteria ie. pictorial health warnings, textual health warning, low price, age warning, manufacturer details and printing of retail price. Out of 15.95 percent, only 10.74 percent of cigarettes were illicit as smuggled and 5.2 percent cigarettes were illicit as low priced or duty not paid.
SPARC executive director Sajjad Ahmad Cheema said tobacco companies are targeting the markets of minors and women to expand their future markets by expanding business. He added the smoking habits of youngsters; growing habits of smoking in younger is the initial step to get attracted for drugs. He highlighted the crucial role of anti-smoking campaign reducing the health risks in schools and colleges. Speaking on the occasion, Colonel Azhar Saleem (retd) - CEO HDF said it has been reported that no complaint has been registered against the violators under this law. In 2010, Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) was seen as a major stride forward in dissuading youth from tobacco use as it death with the manufacturers and retailers, he added.
Pakistan Heart Association (PANAH) general secretary Sana Ullah Ghuman said the passive smoking is deemed equally dangerous for youth and minors. Worldwide, it is estimated 40 percent children up to the age of 14 are exposed to passive smoking, which cause 600,000 deaths across the globe, he said.