ISLAMBAD (NNP) A comprehensive rural survey conducted by The Initiative, Islamabad, in collaboration with the University of York, UK, has uncovered significant non-compliance with the labeling and taxation laws among cigarette packs sold in rural Pakistan. 89% of packs were non-compliant with the cigarette packaging and labelling laws. 83% of packs did not have graphic health warning and 33.8% did not have printed retail prices.
The findings are particularly concerning given that one in five adults in Pakistan uses some form of tobacco, contributing to over 160,000 deaths annually. Tobacco usage is notably higher in rural areas compared to urban regions of Pakistan. Furthermore, cigarette prices in Pakistan are among the lowest in the region, making tobacco products more accessible. The Pakistani government has been actively working towards strengthening tobacco laws and taxation policies to mitigate tobacco-related harms.
The STOP Rural Survey (2021-2022), conducted in 85 villages of the most populous rural districts of Pakistan, involved over 2,000 tobacco users. It was found that an alarmingly high, previously unreported, 89% of cigarette packs were non-compliant with packaging and labeling regulations. Dr Amina Khan, the survey’s chief investigator, stated, “The high proportion of illegal cigarette packs indicates weaker implementation of tobacco control laws in rural areas. Given this disparity, law enforcement authorities must focus on rural areas
Additionally, it was observed that four out of ten packs (41%) were purchased for less than the legal minimum price of 63 Rs. Dr. Kamran Siddiqi commented, “It is possible that tobacco companies are taking advantage of this weak enforcement to sell illegal and cheap cigarettes in rural markets, undermining public health efforts and leading to significant revenue losses for the government.”
The STOP Rural Survey was approved by the National Bioethics Committee and the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination. The study’s findings are being published and can be accessed via this link: https://academic.oup.com/ntr/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntae155
