Over 13pc Pakistani teenagers use tobacco

Islamabad: As world observed World No Tobacco Day Friday, Pakistan bears a huge burden of tobacco with as many as 19.1 per cent adults using tobacco in any form, men 31.8 per cent and women 5.8 per cent.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), among the youth (13-15 years of age), the prevalence is 13.3 and 6.6 per cent among boys and girls respectively.

As per Global Adult Tobacco Survey that was conducted in Pakistan in 2014, the current adult tobacco smokers and smokeless tobacco users were 12.4 per cent and 7.7 per cent respectively and exposure to second hand smoke was 48.3 per cent. On the conservative estimates keeping in view the increase in population, tobacco attributable deaths may amount to 227,000 per year.

On this occasion, the Human Development Foundation (HDF) organised a march to commemorate World No Tobacco Day. HDF also put up streamers on main A.K. Fazal-e-Haq road, Blue Area to raise awareness about tobacco consumption and associated diseases. Representatives from Pakistan National Association for Heart (PANAH) also joined HDF in this march.

The World No-Tobacco Day is marked annually on May 31 to raise awareness on the negative health impact of tobacco and to advocate for effective tobacco control policies and laws. On this occasion, Chief Executive Officer HDF Azhar Saleem emphasized that countries throughout the world have been taking measures with regards to policies and laws to tackle the problem of tobacco consumption. He stated that Pakistan can also adopt and learn from the successful measures taken by other countries.