Government should regulate tobacco industry to discourage smuggling

smoking

 

The government should make strenuous efforts to regulate the tobacco industry in order to discourage the smuggled and counterfeiting cigarettes in domestic market, Industry sources said.

According to the industry sources, World no Tobacco Day is traditionally marked on May 31st and it generally sees many groups joining forces under a campaign banner every year to reduce the level of tobacco consumption.

“Some of the anti-tobacco enthusiasts take it a notch higher and target the tobacco industry, under the assumption these efforts would likely result in eliminating smoking. In effect though, much of these efforts hit only the legal industry, while providing undue advantage to the flourishing illegal tobacco industry”, Industry sources revealed.

In Pakistan, the legitimate tobacco industry provides employment and livelihoods to more than 1 million people, directly or indirectly. These include thousands of farmer, distributors and retailers, who are the direct affectees of any blow to the legitimate industry players.

Sources said that in the absence of a legal tobacco industry in Pakistan, the smugglers of cigarettes and tax evaders would rule the market place.

The smuggled cigarettes that will then be available in the market would escape harsh regulatory restrictions and would come without the mandated health warnings. The prices would of course be much lower as duties would be evaded, bringing these low quality products within reach of millions of new consumers, mostly youth.

“In a world where the legitimate tobacco industry does not exist, a well spread network of criminals would be ready and waiting to step in and take over.

The reality is that even in the absence of a legitimate tobacco industry, the adults that have made the conscious decision to smoke will continue to do so. But instead of buying their legal taxed cigarettes, made by legitimate tobacco companies and sold by reputable retailers, consumers will turn to black market sources to get they want”, sources said.

It is unfortunate however the way anti smoking enthusiasts choose to ignore such critical consequences of the ‘cause’ they champion, while ignoring the more grave question.

It probably is the time to urge them not to opt for the path of least resistance, which is just about bashing the legal industry players and rather focus on solving tough, on ground problems like lack of enforcement leading to increasing black market, sources added.