Shahzad Rasheed
Blue Veins, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to public health and social development, has unveiled a comprehensive policy brief and factsheet addressing the growing concerns surrounding newer nicotine and tobacco products. This initiative aims to equip policymakers with crucial insights into emerging trends, key challenges, and necessary policy actions for regulation.
The policy brief, compiled by Blue Veins, draws upon information from a multitude of reputable sources, including briefing papers, research studies, fact sheets, and analytical reports from entities such as the World Health Organization (WHO), international health institutions, academic and educational studies, credible media outlets, and news sources. The document serves as a valuable resource for policymakers seeking to make informed decisions regarding the regulation of newer nicotine products.
Qamar Naseem, Program Manager of Blue Veins, emphasized the importance of banning E-cigarettes in Pakistan, stating, “E-cigarettes pose a significant threat to public health, especially among our youth. Banning these products is essential to protect the well-being of our citizens and to counter the misleading narratives promoted by the tobacco industry.”
The policy brief offers evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders to effectively regulate Heat-Not-Burn Products (HTPs) and ban E-cigarettes. It underscores the pressing need to address the lack of conclusive evidence regarding the long-term health effects of these products. The key recommendations include:
• Seamlessly integrating newer nicotine products into existing tobacco-free policies.
• Strengthening the enforcement of relevant laws and regulations.
• Expanding vendor licensing mechanisms to ensure strict compliance.
• Launching public awareness campaigns that emphasize the health risks associated with HTPs and E-cigarettes.
Furthermore, the findings highlighted in the policy brief underscore the urgency for the Pakistani Government to generate comprehensive local evidence concerning the impacts of HTPs and E-cigarettes. It calls for amendments to current legislation to encompass the broader spectrum of tobacco products, including HTPs, in line with the guidelines set forth by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
Blue Veins calls upon the Federal and Provincial Govt to enact policies that protect the health and well-being of all Pakistani citizens and emphasized that informed decision-making, based on sound evidence and a thorough understanding of the issues at hand, is the key to addressing the challenges posed by newer nicotine and tobacco products.