What happened:
A report by TheNews stated that currently, Pakistan is facing an annual deficit of 615 billion rupees due to the diseases that are caused by tobacco consumption in the country. On the other hand, the revenue generated from tobacco production is much less than the deficit, as the revenue from production is 120 billion rupees.
Details:
At the same time, it has been suggested that the government should increase the tax on cigarettes, especially by 30%, in a bid to control smokers in the country. Whereas, at a seminar in Islamabad by the Pakistan National Heart Association, the speakers said, “Use of tobacco products is a major cause of dangerous diseases in the country.” The seminar participants also said that the use of tobacco products leads up to heart diseases and chronic illnesses, as an estimate of 163,360 people died from tobacco use in 2017.
