CRCP observed that smoking is incessantly being encouraged by the advertisements in print and electronic media, which have a negative bearing of the smokers/consumer and passive smokers, including women and children in terms of health, finances and environment in general.
In addition, highlighting the public apathy towards the issue, CRCP lamented that the masses are indifferent towards smoking, which is indirectly related to all of us, the smoke of the cigarettes being polluting the air which we all breathe. On the contrary, the attitude of public towards smoking and the smokers in the developed countries of the west has considerably changed in recent years. In an increasing manner, the habit of smoking is becoming unacceptable to most of the people. for this very reason, the public pressure against the manufacturers and distributors of cigarettes has increased to such an extent that they have diverted their attention to the developing countries for sale of their products.
At present, it is estimated that nearly 30 million people in the country are involved in smoking, causing health problems for the smokers as well as those around them. Moreover, the government is spending a huge amount of money on imported medicines and equipment used in the treatment of TB, lung cancer, and other diseases directly caused by smoking.
CRCP observed that the Health ministry and other concerned authorities have completely failed to exercise check on cigarette advertisements, particularly on PTV, which are being telecast at eh utter violation of the government orders. According to the orders of Health Ministry, the warning that smoking is injurious to health must follow every cigarette advertisement. It is alarming that at present, some cigarette manufacturing companies, which are the major sponsors of almost all the cricket matches, are transgressing these orders, and consequently, their ads are not accompanied with the said warning CRCP demands that ads of such companies must be banned on PTV as a penalty for transgression of laws.
CRCP maintained that the said
warning in itself is indicative of the double standards prevalent in the society.
On one hand, PTV, the state TV channel, warns the smokers against the hazardous
of smoking, and on the other hand it
Makes huge profit from the ads of the cigarette companies at the cost of public
health. Therefore, CRCP demands that the cigarette ads must altogether be
banned on PTV as well as other media.
In this regard, CRCP appreciates the stance of STN, which has set the example by refusing to telecast any kind of cigarette ads. The government must follow the suit and ban cigarette ads on PTV.
CRCP also welcomes the decision made by the government of Punjab, which prohibits the sale of cigarettes to those below age 18, and those manufacturers who have supported this decision. However, the problem is the implementation on this order, since the retailers are not observing the ban completely.
In this regard, CRCP has requested the Chief Executive, General Pervaiz Mushafar to take appropriate action against those who violate the law, both in private and government sectors, and completely ban the advertisements in media in order to discourage smoking. CRCP believes that the government should no allow cigarette manufacturers to make huge profits at the const of human life, and the government itself should realize that the const of human life is much higher than the amount of revenue it collets from these companies.