‘Death’ available on the cheap in Pakistan

Karachi
Cigarettes, widely considered slow poison for the human body, are readily available on the cheapest rates in Pakistan through which the state generates 70 million in revenue collection from annual sales tax.
This was stated by Dr Javaid Ahmed Khan, professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicines at the Aga Khan University Hospital, while addressing a seminar on “Hazards of Tobacco” at Mohammad Ali Jinnah University on Tuesday.
He informed every year six million people worldwide falls prey to death due to smoking and among them one lack smokers in Pakistan dies while suffering lungs cancer, heart attacks and other cardiac diseases. Dr Khan said youngsters who smoke are prone to use narcotics and finally end up becoming alcoholic, he said; the life expectancy of such people merely rests at 45.
According to a study report in Pakistan out of 1000 patients of chest dieses, 90 percent of them died who were habitual smokers, he added.
Dr Khan said according to State Bank of Pakistan report of 2011 the volume of the sale of cigarettes in Pakistan was Rs200 billion while millions of rupees are spent on pan chewing which spreads mouth cancer. He also expressed concern over growing trend of shisha smoking among young generation which he considered more harmful than cigarettes.
He urged the government to impose complete ban on smoking at public places, heavy increase in cigarette prices, ban on any kind of cigarette advertising campaign, anti-smoking clinics and a public awareness campaign on hazards of tobacco.