TOBACCO advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) are appealing to children. It is a tact used by tobacco industry to attract children, to turn them into habitual smokers and deter tobacco control efforts. Research confirms relation between TAPS and children in-take of smoking.

According to WHO, one-third of youth start smoking as result of exposure to TAPS. In Pakistan, 1,200 children start smoking daily.

One of the tools to deceive the people is corporate social responsibility (CSR) sponsored by tobacco industry.

The tobacco industry actively engages in CSR activities, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in an attempt to develop goodwill among the public. Donating to charitable activities and sponsoring different activities are designed by tobacco companies to be good corporate citizens and distract from the fact that they sell addictive and deadly products.

Tobacco companies are using CSR to promote its products and tobacco use among youth. The tobacco industry also strives to counter the negative attention surrounding its deadly products. Considering CSR activities against the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) nearly 28 counties including Ireland, Malaysia, Nepal, Uruguay and Russia have banned CSR sponsored by tobacco industry.

Articles 5.3 and 13 of the WHO, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) require prohibiting tobacco industry CSR activities because they inherently promote tobacco use, tobacco companies and tobacco product brands. Furthermore, the FCTC Article 5.3 guidelines urge states to prohibit partnerships between governments and the tobacco industry, including so-called socially responsible activities.

The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health (amended bill 2016) tabled in the Senate is an attempt to fulfill FCTC Article 5.3 and 13 requirements and save our next generation from tobacco addiction.

I suggest a complete ban on TAPS.

Syed Akhtar Hussain

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2016