KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Thursday appreciated the Sindh Assembly for introducing a bill in the house to ban manufacture, promotion and sale of gutka and mainpuri, carrying punishment for those violating the forthcoming law.

“We commend the government for introducing such a law in which its violator would be liable to imprisonment or a fine, or both,” said PMA secretary general Dr S.M. Qaisar Sajjad in a statement. He said making such laws was the need of the hour as the number of cases of oral cancer and sub-mucous fibrosis (SMF) had alarmingly increased in Pakistan.

“Sub-mucous fibrosis is common among teenagers, school and college-going students in particular. This is a non-treatable condition of the oral cavity, characterised by juxta-epithelial inflammatory reaction and progressive fibrosis of the sub-mucosal tissues,” he explained.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2017