ISLAMABAD: Coalition for Tobacco Control in Pakistan (CTC-Pak), a coalition of more than 50 civil society organizations, has expressed its disappointment over not raising taxes on cigarette packs in the federal budget 2021-22 despite the recommendations by the ministry of health in this regard.
In the wake of current Covid-19 pandemic, it is essential to discourage those products which are injurious to health. The pandemic is more dangerous for people who smoke cigarettes but the government has totally ignored hazardous effects of smoking.
Zeeshan Danish, project coordinator of the coalition, has said in a statement that civil society and Anti-Tobacco advocates are highly disappointed on not increasing taxes on tobacco products.
Tobacco industry has succeeded to stonewalling all efforts for tobacco control in Pakistan, he alleged.
The aggressive campaign by the tobacco industry to take attention away from the real and dangerous problem of smoking has succeeded.
He said the aggressive campaign launched by the tobacco industry’s front groups regarding illicit cigarettes diverted attention of financial authorities to trivial issues. Unfortunately, the campaign succeeded in giving the impression that smoking was an innocuous habit and is in danger because of illicit cigarette trade, he pointed out.
Zeeshan said, “It is interesting to note that the tobacco industry wants to save Rs. 77 billion for Pakistan in taxes by fighting illicit cigarette trade but does not want to spend it on providing smoking cessation services as currently the smoking cessation services in Pakistan are non-existent.”
Another emerging threat, he added, is the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco product. “Under the garb of harm reduction, tobacco industry is now promoting e-cigarettes as one of the solutions to smoking.”
Zeeshan said it is positive and good step that electronically heated Tobacco products are in Tax net there is a need to increase tax on both Tobacco and e-cigarette to reduce their use.
