Speakers Call For Increasing Health Warning On Cigarette's Pack

Speakers call for increasing health warning on cigarette's pack

Human Development Foundation (HDF) urges the government for plain packaging and enhanced graphic health warning on tobacco packs

Islamabad (Pakistan Point News / Online - 20th September, 2019) Human Development Foundation (HDF) urges the government for plain packaging and enhanced graphic health warning on tobacco packs.A media session was organized by HDF here on Friday in which the speakers said that it is worthy step on behalf of the government that in alignment with the guidelines of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), the size of graphic health warning on cigarette packs has been increased from 50% to 60% of the pack.

Azhar Saleem, CEO HDF, shared that different countries have been using multiple strategies for tobacco control. Health warnings, both pictorial and text on cigarette packs, have been adopted by all FCTC signatory countries which has proven effective in reducing the rate of tobacco consumption. Moving forward in these efforts, the next step is to adopt plain packaging with enhanced graphic health warnings for all tobacco products. Countries where plain packaging has been implemented shows that brand appeal among tobacco users decreases. This decrease in brand appeal helps in reducing the consumption rate as specially among youth, brands in cigarettes are associated with social status and style/fashion icon.