Multan: Naeem Ahmad (Field Manager, SPARC) along with Khurram Shahzad (Media Coordinator, SPARC) address to Journalists in a Press Conference arranged by SPARC. They shared the findings of Research conducted by SPARC in the different areas of Multan district.
As per details, the researchers have noted that at 24 local Bus Stands, people were smoking and cigarette butts were scattered everywhere. During the inspection people were smoking in passenger waiting areas, toilets, hallways and shopping areas which does not Have ventilation or exhaust system. Those places were fully crowded and people smoking at those areas were not only endangering their own lives but were also causing harms to the health of non‐smokers including minors and females.
Educational institutes are the places where student are susceptible to social influences to use cigarettes. Young children can be inspired from the teachers and staff smoking inside the school. Availability and sales of cigarettes in the surroundings of schools provides easy access to the students. Children can easily buy cigarettes and become potential customers of Tobacco Industry. However, researchers have recorded Smoking butts at schools. This indicates that teachers, staff and students can smoke inside the school.
Recommendations: Pakistan as a signatory of the Frame Work Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) needs to take concrete measures to ensure its domestic legislation complies with international commitments.
City District Govt Multan established DIMC and reactivate Tobacco Control Cell.
Smoking inside and outside the schools and colleges need to be strictly banned. Complete ban on sale of cigarette near educational institutes should be an important component of comprehensive adolescent smoking prevention programs.
District authorities should strengthen monitoring system and implement the anti‐tobacco laws at public places especially in public transport, restaurants, playgrounds and hospitals. Placing tags “No smoking” or “Smoking at public place is an offence” and ensures implementation of Nonsmoking ordinance 2002 in district Multan.
District authorities should implement the vendor’s act and ensure placing the warnings outside and inside of the Tobacco sales point. Vendors should not sale loose cigarettes particularly to minors.
Activation of Excise and taxation police stations for effective control of sale of cigarettes near educational institutes, smoking at public places and sale of loose cigarettes. Local authorities must ensure that cigarettes sold in packs of 20 and must not be sold in loose or in single sticks.
