March 15, 2007	Thursday	Safar 25, 1428

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LAHORE, March 14: Not a single person has been ‘found’ violating the ban on smoking at public places in Punjab since the promulgation of the Prohibition of Smoking Ordinance about seven years ago.

Punjab health department director monitoring Dr Muhammad Shakil confirmed that not a single person in the province had so far been charged with violation of the anti-smoking law.

Citing a reason for not implementing the law in letter and spirit, Dr Shakil said all government departments, hospitals and educational institutions’ staff were not sensitised to the issue. Monitoring the implementation of the ban was primarily the responsibility of the federal government, though the provincial health authorities had also passed on written direction to the departments concerned for taking measures to implement the ban, he added.

Last year, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry (now suspended), had directed all provincial chief secretaries as well as the chief commissioner Islamabad to implement the smoking ban but the provinces have yet to come up with a comprehensive strategy to comply with the order.

Non-compliance of the ordinance has also made the lives of non-smokers vulnerable and it seems that the departments concerned have no regard for the Supreme Court orders.

The anti-smoking law’s violation can be witnessed at public places, especially hospitals, educational institutions and in transport where it has become a permanent nuisance.

The law, which was aimed at promoting public health and a smoke-free environment, has had little effect in society which is evident from the fact that cigarettes are still being sold in close proximity of educational institutions. The Section 9 of the ordinance clamps complete prohibition on the sale of tobacco and related products, especially to minors, within 50 meters of an educational institution.

Though the law authorises public transport drivers and conductors to eject a passenger from their vehicle for smoking, not a single case has been reported from any part of the province. Interestingly, most of the (public transport) drivers can be seen smoking with impunity, causing a great inconvenience to the passengers especially women.

A traffic official claims that the department has not received guidelines or orders to enforce the anti-smoking law so far.

The administrations of educational institutions and hospitals also do not snub smokers on the premises. Instead of discouraging students, some teachers smoke in their presence and thus set a bad example.

The ordinance imposes a penalty up to Rs1,000 that is extendible up to Rs100,000 for repeating the offence and three-month imprisonment. Any authorised officer like the members of parliament, local nazim, councillors, public transport and train drivers, PIA cabin crew, a grade-20 or above government officer, heads of all institutions like hospitals, schools, colleges, universities, or a police officer, not below the rank of sub-inspector, can take action against a person for violating the law.

Smoking is largely responsible for cancers of lung, oral cavity, larynx, bladder, pancreas, kidney, stomach and blood. According to the report of an NGO, tobacco use in Pakistan is on the rise. About 10,000 people die after contracting the diseases caused by tobacco every year in Pakistan and some 1,200 take up the habit every day. The death toll is rising rapidly, especially in low and middle-income countries.

The developed countries through strict laws are trying to get rid of the menace while the powerful tobacco industry is finding new markets in the third world.

At present 1.3 billion people smoke worldwide, 1.2 billion of them live in developing countries.