BY: Maryam Sajid/ANI
ISLAMABAD— The 9th meeting of the Working Council of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) of the National Assembly was held at Parliament House under the chairpersonship of WPC Secretary Dr. Shahida Rehmani.
The meeting, arranged with a briefing by the Aurat Foundation, focused on tobacco control and regulation of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), e-cigarettes and other emerging nicotine products.
Members expressed concern over the growing use and promotion of e-cigarettes, particularly among young people, and discussed their potential health risks for children, women and pregnant women.
The Council reviewed proposed ENDS legislation and called for stronger regulations, including limits on nicotine concentration, restrictions on flavoured products and their marketing, enhanced penalties and stronger monitoring and enforcement.
Participants also proposed increasing graphic health-warning coverage to 70–80% and ensuring strict implementation of the 50-metre smoke-free restriction around educational institutions.
The WPC emphasized greater coordination among Parliament, government institutions, health experts and civil society to strengthen tobacco-control legislation and public awareness, particularly among youth and women.
