Cape Province, Pakistan: 60-day Ban on E-cigarettes near Educational Institutions

According to Pakistani media Urdupoint, the interim government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has made a landmark decision to impose a 60-day ban on the use of e-cigarettes by teenagers and the sale of e-cigarettes near educational institutions under section 144 of the law.

The ban on the sale of new tobacco products in the Western Cape province was implemented after the provincial governor took proactive measures and issued instructions for actions necessary for the public interest following a meeting with representatives of the Blue Veins civil society group.

The negotiation meeting was held in the conference room of the Ministry of Health and chaired by Dr. Majid, the Deputy Director of Public Health. Sana Ahmad from Blue Veins provided a detailed report on the progress of tobacco control in the Cape Province and the challenges faced in this matter.

Ahmed informed participants that the temporary ban on e-cigarettes will end on March 16, 2024, so it is necessary to take the required legal actions to extend the ban.

A "tobacco control roadmap" has already been established, but it does not currently include new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, hookah, and heated tobacco. All government departments and stakeholders need to come to a consensus to draft a law to ban all forms of tobacco products within the province.

Sana Ahmed stated that Blue Veins has submitted a comprehensive "action plan" to the public health department, covering legislation and tax issues related to new tobacco products in particular. During the consultation meeting, participants also put forward different suggestions to enhance public awareness of the harmful effects of new tobacco products on public health. The suggestion was made to regulate all new tobacco products (including e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and hookah) together in the new draft law, especially in regards to use by minors.