RAWALPINDI: Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) arranging a walk on “ WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY” to create awareness on negative impact of tobacco use on human health,
Participation of important personalities belonging to all schools of thought of the city marked importance of Tobacco Day.
The tobacco industry paid a total of Rs 120 billion in taxes in 2019, which was only 20% of the total cost of smoking.
Pakistan’s national exchequer faces an economic, and health burden of Rs. 615 billion per year from tobacco consumption.
Taxation will be an effective way to reduce tobacco consumption to secure the future of the younger generation.
Talk by walk participants
Every year, like all over the world, WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY, organized by Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH), was celebrated on Monday, Which is a major cause of many diseases besides heart disease,
The walk was held from Liaquat Bagh to Rawalpindi Press Club, led by Dr. Abdul Qayyum Awan, Senior Vice President of Panah, Ghulam Abbasi, Vice President, Sana Ullah Ghumman, General Secretary and senior members of Panah. Participated in the event along with students wing, political, social, legal, educational, business, minority circles and many other peoples.
This year, the theme of “Quit tobacco to be a winner” was chosen on World No Tobacco Day.
Addressing the participants on the occasion, Sana Ullah Ghumman, General Secretary of PANAH said in 1987, WHO member states launched “World No Tobacco Day”. The aim was to draw global attention to “tobacco and its untimely deaths and diseases.” The World Health Organization adopted a resolution on April 7, 1988, as “World No Tobacco Day.” Following the adoption of the resolution, May 31 is World No Tobacco Day.
According to a report by the TOBACCO ATLAS, the combined revenue of the world’s six largest tobacco companies in 2016 was more than US 34 346 billion, which is more than 17% of Pakistan’s gross national income.
Pakistan produced 69.43 billion cigarettes in 2016.This year, the import of cigarettes in Pakistan exceeded the export of cigarettes.
Walk participants said that 30 million 15-year-old adults in Pakistan use tobacco, which causes a number of diseases, including heart disease, cancer, premature death and other deadly diseases .
Tobacco consumption faces an economic, health and health burden of Rs. 615 billion per year.
The tobacco industry paid a total of Rs. 120 billion in taxes in 2019, which was only 20% of the total cost of smoking.
The ratio of Federal Excise Duty (FED) on tobacco has not increased for the past five years, and FBR authorities need to formulate a comprehensive strategy for collecting taxes from the tobacco industry.So that the future of the country’s 60 per cent young population is saved from being jeopardized.
Sana Ullah Ghumman said that the implementation of tobacco practice would significantly reduce the prevalence of smoking among adults and significantly increase revenue, which would help the government in completing the development projects
