19% of adults 18 years of age and above smoke tobacco in Pakistan, says Pakistan Pediatrics Association. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Pediatrics Association (PPA) has estimated that 1,000 to 1,200 school-going children aged six to 16 take up smoking every day in the country.
According to a new report released by the association, both current and ex-smokers in the low socio-economic group reported spending 25% of their total household income on cigarettes.
In Pakistan, 19% of adults 18 years of age and above smoke tobacco while each year, approximately 60,000 people die of tobacco-related diseases in the country.
Among the youth (13-15 years old), around 34% report being exposed to second-hand smoke in public places and 27% report exposure at home.
Citing the World Health Organization, the reported added that trend of cigarette smoking in Pakistan has been growing, with an increase of 30% compared to figures from 1998. The WHO stated that a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship could decrease the consumption of tobacco products by about seven per cent.
The PPA report focused on an anti-smoking social marketing strategy for Pakistan, with an aim to reduce smoking prevalence, especially among the youth. It called for immediate action by public health authorities.
Project Coordinator, The Network for Consumer Protection, Dr Sobia Faisal said that smoking was the single most avoidable risk factor for cancers. Dr Faisal said that social marketing could influence smokers to voluntarily accept, reject, modify, or abandon their smoking behaviour. She said that it was a high time to educate the country's people about the hazards of tobacco, particularly school-going children.
Dr Faisal added that raising tobacco taxes was one of the most effective tobacco prevention and control strategies. She stressed the need for strict implementation of tobacco control laws in the country and asked the concerned authorities to make proper strategies to prevent sale of tobacco to minors.
When contacted, an official from the Tobacco Control Cell said that Pakistan had ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and the country had also implemented pictorial warnings on cigarette packs.
He said that there was a plan to create awareness in citizens regarding the negative effects of smoking and educating them about tobacco control laws.
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This has been happening only because the children see that how shamefully and proudly their elders smoke before them without any hesitation and on the media this has been seen that how shamefully and proudly heroes and villains do the same without any disturbance and hindrance and family and media are effecting them most effectively,badly and openly because of their mentally learning process.And the underage children copy them and believe that they are doing much the best as they see before them by their elders,heroes and villains.......