BGI forum supports taxation on cigarettes
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—loomberg Grant Initiative (BGI) Forum has supported the recommendations made during the meeting of Tobacco Advisory Group (TAG) Ministry of Health, says forum’s statement.
The recommendations TAG include enhancement of taxation on cigarettes, introduction of pictorial warnings on cigarette packs, abolition of designated smoking areas, creation of 100 percent smoke-free public places, health education campaigns to promote awareness amongst youth, introduction of pictorial warnings on cigarette packs in line with FCTC requirements.
BGI Forum constitutes the organizations those have secured funding from Bloomberg Grant Initiative which include Tobacco Control Cell, Ministry of Health, TheNetwork for Consumer Protection and Society for Alternative Media/Coalition for Tobacco Control and their partners in the project including World Health Organization, Health Policy Forum, Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs; Pakistan Medical Association and other partners. Bloomberg Grant Initiative New York is a global initiative to fund tobacco control initiatives primarily in developing countries.
Government and civil society organizations in Pakistan as mentioned have got three grants from Bloomberg while four other proposals have been submitted and are in process.