70% of Pakistanis are exposed to tobacco toxins every day

100,000 people die in Pakistan from smoking various forms of tobacco, including cigarettes and sheesha every year.

KARACHI: In spite of a law that bans smoking in public places in the country, over 70 per cent of the population is exposed to tobacco toxins every day because the law is simply not being implemented. Research conducted by the Aga Khan University shows that the majority of restaurants in the country have very high levels of tobacco toxins, which are seriously harmful to public health.

“Lung health is not a priority on the public health agenda of Pakistan,” said Professor Javaid Khan, head of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, AKU. He was speaking at a seminar organised by the National Alliance for Tobacco Control in collaboration with the Pakistan Chest Society on World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day. COPD is a serious lung disease that blocks the airways and makes breathing difficult. While it is becoming more prevalent in Pakistan, it is still widely under-diagnosed and under-treated. Smoking is by far the most common cause of COPD.

Professor Khan highlighted that every year 100,000 people die in Pakistan from smoking various forms of tobacco, including cigarettes and sheesha - which is very popular among young people. Even though smoking shisha is much more socially acceptable than smoking cigarettes, experts have revealed that an hour of sheesha is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes. However, an increasing number of cafes and restaurants across the country are serving shisha to customers of all ages. The ban on underage smoking is not being implemented, especially when it comes to serving flavoured shisha to eager 16-year olds.

Over half of the deaths caused by lung diseases are related to smoking and, therefore, avoidable. The best way to prevent COPD is not to smoke at all. At early stages of this disease, people develop a mild cough along with shortness of breath - a smoker’s cough.

If regular smokers recognise this symptom, they should seek medical advice, Professor Khan cautioned.

Secondhand smoke is another contributing factor to COPD. Dr Ali Zubairi, associate professor at AKU, highlighted that secondhand smoke is a combination of two types: the exhaled smoke from a smoker and the smoke from the end of a burning cigarette. Both types contain the same toxic carcinogens.

COPD can also be caused by long-term exposure to low levels of air pollution. Dr Zubairi pointed out that a majority of Pakistanis who live in cities are exposed to poor air quality. Burning fuels for transport, power plants, industry and domestic use adds harmful pollutants to the air, increasing the incidence of respiratory infections and diseases in most major cities. He urged the government to take measures for the implementation of clean air laws in the country.

Visitors attending the seminar were offered simple tests that can help detect COPD such as peak flow readings - the fastest rate at which you can blow air out of your lungs - and measurements of carbon monoxide in the breath. They were also offered health literature and counseling sessions on how to quit tobacco use.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2010.