No to smoking

Tobacco use is a major public health issue in Pakistan, with an estimated 22 million adults using tobacco products, according to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS). Recent estimates put the number of tobacco users at 31 million in the country. While traditional tobacco control measures such as taxation, regulation, and public health campaigns have had some success in reducing tobacco use, they have not been enough to eliminate it completely.

A recent report by the Royal College of Physicians in the UK found e-cigarettes to be 95 per cent less harmful than smoking. Pakistan should consider such harm reduction strategies as part of its overall approach to reducing tobacco use.

Sarnawaz Salamat

Islamabad