Govt urged to implement ordinance on smoking

ISLAMABAD - The speakers at a one-day conference urged government to strictly implement Smoking and Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance - 2002 in Pakistan to protect youth from the disastrous impact of tobacco products.
The conference was arranged for young leaders by Ministry of Health and World Health Organisation ahead of the World No Tobacco Day here on Thursday.
This year the World No Tobacco Day is being observed with a theme "The Tobacco Industry Catches You Young."
To discourage the increasing trend of using tobacco products a number of strong recommendations were given by the young participants in the conference.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary Youth Affair Ashafaq Mehmood suggested revising the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance - 2002 as it has given a very limited number of authorised persons who can be consulted to take action if somewhere the ordinance is being violated.
He vowed to launch a massive campaign in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Ministry of Youth Affairs to inform public specially the youngsters who are most vulnerable about the dangerous impact smoking and using other tobacco products.
He urged to accelerated efforts for proper implementation of the ordinance. While responding to a point raised by a young participant regarding use of sheesha as a fast emerging trend among youngster and smoking a single sheesha is equal to taking fourteen cigarette. Shaheen Masood Director General Implementation, Tobacco Control cell said efforts are being made to include sheesha in Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non smokers ordinance 2002.