Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Novel tobacco products are becoming increasingly popular in Pakistani youth due to the extensive social media marketing and advertisement campaigns by tobacco industry. These so called “less” harmful products pose immense danger to the public health and if the government doesn’t ban these products, Pakistan’s health system will suffer unprecedented damage.
These thoughts were shared by health experts in a joint press released shared by Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) to divert federal cabinets attention towards the alarmingly increase in the use of nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes and vapes, etc. collectively referred as novel or alternative products.
Malik Imran Ahmed, Country head, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, mentioned that tobacco companies have been freely able to market and sale alternative products because unfortunately in Pakistan tobacco control doesn’t go beyond cigarettes and Gutka. The alternative products have been in Pakistani market for several years now but there has been no policy or legislation to control and monitor their sales, promotion and advertisement.
Stressing upon the need of ban; Imran mentioned that the claim of “less” harmful is big lie because every year around 170,000 precious lives are lost in Pakistan due to tobacco induced diseases such as cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular disease. So even if we believe the lie that alternative products are “less” harmful, the damage done will still be significant. Imran also said that it is fallacious to believe that tobacco companies which are directly responsible for loss of millions of lives around the world will simultaneously sell products which will reduce tobacco addiction.
Khalil Ahmed Dogar, Program Manager, SPARC, highlighted that tobacco industry is searching for a new generation of buyers to keep their business and profits running. The fallacious campaigns are targeted at children and youth through social media platforms and sales near educational institutions. Khalil added that if these attempts of tobacco industry to gain more buyers are not kept in check through proper mechanisms, they will grow more powerful and keep being the cause of deaths and diseases in the country. He further requested the cabinet to put the social media advertisements under scrutiny as those ads are misguiding a large number of our population.
Shariq Ahmed, CEO, Chromatic Trust, shared that tobacco companies are investing huge money in online campaigns on almost all social media platforms. The advertisements are designed in such deceptive manner that even famous celebrities join them. Shariq stressed on the need of state level campaign to raise awareness on harms of nicotine, second hand smoking, and adverse impacts of tobacco products on public economy and environment.
He mentioned that media is the strongest tool of social change and government should invest in such campaigns alongside regularizing the sales, promotion and advertisement of the alternative products to safe precious lives.