With support from The Union, the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province has become the first province to establish a tobacco control cell,
In 2011, Pakistan transferred responsibility for health and tobacco control issues from the federal to the provincial governments. This means that the provinces are required to take greater ownership and responsibility for the tobacco control programmes and activities in their jurisdiction, including implementing and enforcing relevant laws. To assist them in meeting these new responsibilities, The Union has worked with provincial governments to encourage them to establish provincial tobacco control programmes.
The first of these new programmes is the provincal tobacco control cell established by the government of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in November 2013. The Union and the federal tobacco control cell held detailed meetings with the provincial health minister to facilitate this development. In a letter of support, the KPK Tobacco Control Cell acknowledged the role of The Union and requested further support and collaboration to strengthen tobacco control in their province.