Many grocery shops in the city display tobacco advertisements even though the country has put restrictions on such ads in an attempt to put an end to smoking. What the government has failed to notice is the illicit trade of tobacco products. Illicit tobacco traders evade taxes, manufacture and distribute illegally, and go against the law by promoting cigarettes through ads. They often offer consumers cash prizes and discounts on tobacco products. They carefully pack their counterfeit brands, making it almost impossible to know the difference between a fake product and an authentic one.
There should be public awareness campaigns to highlight the illicit market of tobacco products in Pakistan. The real danger is that we don’t know where this illegal revenue is going, and what other illicit activities are being fuelled by it.
Fawad Khan
Karachi
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