ISLAMABAD: Typically a domain for consumer groups and the medical community, tobacco control proponents in Pakistan are now turning to civil society organisations to form a pressure group, by connecting tobacco consumption to child rights and women`s rights.

On Tuesday, TheNetwork for Consumer Protection, an NGO, conducted a session to sensitise civil society groups to tobacco control.

Participants were informed that the youth particularly children are the first target of the tobacco industry. They were also told that women who do not smoke cannot stop their husbands from smoking near them, and women who do smoke endanger themselves if they are pregnant.

Civil society organisations were asked to play a role in pushing for legislation to comprehensively ban tobacco advertisement, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS), and pressure the government to comply with its existing tobacco control laws and its ratification of the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC).

TheNetwork executive coordinator Nadeem Iqbal said the Pakistani government committed to banning TAPS when it ratified FCTC in 2004-5, but ten years later has yet to implement it.

Mr Iqbal drew the participants` attention to a State Bank report that revealed that Pakistanis smoked Rs250 billion worth of cigarettes last year. Some 64 billion cigarettes were consumed during this period alone.

`Despite the Tobacco Control Law 2002 and a number of SROs issued by successive governments to control tobacco advertisement, the authorities seem helpless before the tobacco industry. The tobacco industry is using various tactics to counter government as well as civil society efforts aimed at a comprehensive ban on TAPS,` he said.

He said that there are a few successful cases, such as the Capital Administration and Development Division`s initiative for a `smoke-free` Islamabad. He also commended the enforcement of the tobacco control law in public places, vehicles and in print and electronic media.

Dr Maria Qureshi also spoke at the session, where she informed participants of the 14 types of cancer linlced to tobacco consumption. Cancer of the lung, mouth, throat and oesophagus were noted as the most common, with the lowest rates of survival.

`100,000 people in Pakistan die annually due to tobacco use. If such smoking trends continue, 8 million deaths will occur by 2030. Moreover, smokers at an average, die 10 years earlier than non-smokers,` Dr Qureshi said.

She said that according to the Global Adult Youth Survey 2013, 31.8pc of men and 19.9pc of women are smokers. In addition, 13.3pc of boys and 6.6pc of girls (between 13 and 15 years of age) are smokers. She said that if current smoking trends continue Pakistan will face an uncontrollable tobacco epidemic.

`Despite the Dec 31, 2013, SRO that calls for a ban on tobacco product advertising at the point of sale (PoS), a recent survey reported 77pc violations. Similarly, the sale of cigarettes to underage boys is over 87.4pc. The government has yet to raise taxes on cigarettes as per the requirement of the WHO`s FCTC,` she said.

TheNetwork representative Laila Laghari said that according to the law, there is no concept of designated smoking areas in public places.