Pakistanis spend millions on death sticks daily


Ppi May 27, 2010

KARACHI: Approximately 24% male and 16% female college going students in Karachi are regular smokers and Pakistanis spend Rs 60 crore on cigarettes daily, stated Professor Javaid Khan.

Khan, chairman NATC and Head of Pulmonary Diseases at Aga Khan University Hospital, was addressing an audience of students from various medical colleges at the World No Tobacco seminar on Thursday. He strongly criticized the government for failing to take effective measures towards tobacco control while talking to students from various medical colleges.

He stated that tobacco and consequential diseases kill 100,000 in Pakistan every year - more than suicide bombings, road traffic accidents, honour killings and drug abuse combined and that  tobacco is responsible for almost 50% of all cancer cases in the country.

Tobacco and consequential diseases kill 100,000 in Pakistan every year - more than suicidal bombing, road traffic accidents, honour killings and drug abuse combined. Tobacco is responsible for almost 50% of all cancer cases in the country.

He specifically underlined the role model status of doctors, and said that smoking by health professionals negates the anti-smoking message.

He stated that almost 30% of Pakistan's male medical students smoke, compared to less than 5% in the US, Canada and Australia. He emphasized that all medical college curriculums must include tobacco control and smoking cessation.

Khan called for a comprehensive ban on all forms of tobacco advertising as well as on the industry's sponsorship of sports and entertainment events.

COMMENTS (11)

IZ | 14 years ago | Reply "Approximately 24% male and 16% female college going students in Karachi are regular smokers...": I don't know what college they did their research in, but I'm fairly sure that you would be lucky to find any college in which 24% male students DON'T smoke!
Dr Javaid Khan | 14 years ago | Reply Whenever I talk to a teenager smoking and tell them that smoking is dangerous their usual response is "I know it all".When I ask a patient suffering from lung cancer or COPD "didn't you know that smoking could cause so much harm to your body?"Their response is always"I wished I knew that smoking is so dangerous.Whenever I read about smoking hazards I ignored and thought that this illness will not happen to me. Public need to know the real truth about tobacco.As a member of this society this is our duty to promote healthy lifestyle in the masses.
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