ISLAMABAD: Tobacco companies use urea compounds to add addictive flavours to their products, which shows how much hazardous the tobacco can be. This is done to increase brand loyalty of smokers because they get addicted to these flavours.

This was said by Deputy Director General (Health) and Project Director, Tobacco-Smoke Free Capital, Dr. Minhajus Siraj at the inaugural ceremony of the three-day road awareness campaign held on Tuesday. During the campaign, awareness regarding hazards of tobacco will be given to the road users.

He said the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) project was aimed at protecting the future generations from the disabilities and cancers, caused by tobacco.

The Islamabad Capital Territory Administration has conducted several raids in the past to curb the use of Sheesha smoking and sale of illicit tobacco including cigarettes, gutka and smuggled naswar or snuff. These smokeless tobacco products contain at least 28 cancer causing agents.

Offices of Islamabad Traffic Police have been declared tobacco-smoke free areas and efforts are being made to keep the public transport vehicles clear of smoking.

Dr Minhaj said that Section VI of the Anti-Smoking Law, which “prohibits smoking in public transport”, is being added to Challan Forms on approval by Law Division and habitual offenders will be fined heavily, up to Rs100,000 and carry risk of imprisonment too.

He requested the traders’ community of Islamabad to clear their racks of illicit/ smuggled tobacco and not to sell cigarettes without licence from the Excise Department, by the end of this month to keep safe from the action of law enforcement agencies.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2015

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