Staff Reporter
PESHAWAR: In a historic move, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has implemented section 144, which outlaws the sale, storage, and use of vapes and e-cigarettes to minors and in close proximity to the province’s educational institutions.
“The decision has been made in response to the concerning rise in the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and vaping devices, especially among children and youth in the province,” the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home and Tribal Affairs Department stated in an official announcement released here on Tuesday.
The decision states that the fact that e-cigarettes and vapes contain nicotine, a highly addictive drug, adds to the worry over the rising use of these devices.
Vaping and e-cigarette use carry serious health hazards, particularly for women, young people, and children.
Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 be implemented for 60 days in response to these concerns and to protect the health and well-being of our residents, particularly the younger generation, the document added.
The directive established a total prohibition on the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes to anybody under the age of 21 in the KP.
In a similar vein, it is forbidden to purchase, store, or use vapes or e-cigarettes within 50 meters of any KP educational facility.
It is important to note that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali fully supported the call from civil society to outlaw the use and sale of e-cigarettes and vaping in a meeting with a delegation led by Qamar Naseem, Program Manager Blue Veins, and Ajmal Shah, Coordinator Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tobacco Control Cell, on Thursday, January 11, 2024.
Governor Haji Ghulam Ali also gave the Chief Secretary instructions to consider the negative impacts of contemporary tobacco devices on public health during the discussion, particularly given the rising prevalence of their usage among youth.
