ISLAMABAD:General Secretary and Director Operations of Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) Sanaullah Ghumman on Thursday said the Tobacco Industry should avoid trapping the youth under the garb of business ideas and sessions being kicked off in educational institutions.
In a statement issued here, the PANAH General Secretary said over half of the population of Pakistan consists of young generation that need to remain healthy for a better future.
“Young people have always been the main target of the tobacco industry, because young boys and girls are considered to be the guarantors of the present and the future. The Tobacco Industry’s business ideas and sessions in different educational institutions is alarming,” he said.
He said that the tobacco industry organised session at various educational institutions to attract young people, where students were being registered. “It is the responsibility of the government and educational institutions to provide business ideas to the young generation for future employment,not tobacco industry”, he added.
Sanaullah Ghumman said that more than 200 brands of tobacco were being sold in markets all over the world. “Tobacco kills half of its consumers. In the name of ‘Battle of Minds’, a new web is being created for students. Under this campaign, students will be attracted towards tobacco products by giving various business suggestions.”
He said that putting these facts behind them, the Battle of the Mind campaign would prove to be dangerous for young boys and girls, who would forget to differentiate between healthy life and tobacco-borne diseases, and Will become part of their campaigns unwillingly.
The government and the heads of educational institutions should take immediate notice of this campaign so that our children can be protected from tobacco use.