Smoking trend on the rise among youth
Source: OUR STAFF REPORTER May 29, 2008 KARACHI - Experts have expressed grave concern over the rising trend of smoking amongst young people in the country and demanded strict enforcement of the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance - 2002 in order to protect youth people from habit detrimental to health, the single largest preventable cause of deaths in Pakistan.
"Tobacco use kills an average of one person every six seconds and is responsible for one in 10 adult deaths worldwide, killing 5.4 million people a year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). There are about 22 million smokers in Pakistan and half of all households have at least one family member who smokes," they expressed these views on Wednesday, while speaking at a 'World No Tobacco Day Programme' organised by Agha Khan University (AKU).
World No Tobacco Day is an annual protest against tobacco and against the corporations that promote and market its use. This year, the theme is Tobacco-Free Youth, focusing on protecting young people from becoming smokers by banning all forms of tobacco marketing and advertising, including sponsorship of events and activities.
Quoting a research conducted by AKU last year, Professor Javed Khan, Head Pulmonary Medicine, said that 24 per cent male and 16 per cent female college students were regular smokers in Karachi.
He said, "In Islamabad the prevalence is even higher, with 28 per cent of young people smoking. The Government of Pakistan is a signatory to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and according to this United Nations treaty; the government is bound to take strong anti-tobacco measures in the country. Tobacco is the second major cause of death globally and the biggest public health threat the world has ever faced. One hundred million deaths were caused by tobacco in the 20th century and if current trends continue, there will be up to one billion deaths in the 21st century. Unchecked, tobacco-related deaths will increase to more than eight million a year by 2030, and 80 per cent of those deaths will occur in developing countries like Pakistan."
Consultant Chest Physician, Dr Suleman Haque warned the public against the marketing tactics of multinational tobacco companies in Pakistan, and said that over 90 per cent of chronic obstructive lung disease cases were caused by smoking.
"Very difficult to treat, the disease is on the rise and most people eventually end up with respiratory failure. Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in Pakistani men and over 90 per cent of such cases are the direct result of tobacco use," he added.
At the seminar, a speech contest was also held in which medical students from a number of medical universities in Karachi shared their recommendations for curbing tobacco use in Pakistan including a comprehensive ban on all forms of tobacco advertising and sponsorship, increasing taxes on tobacco products, implementing clean air laws and establishing 'stop smoking' clinics at all the major hospitals in Pakistan. Consultant Chest Physician, Dr Irfan said that as a result of aggressive marketing by tobacco companies, an estimated 1,500 young people a day were taking up smoking in Pakistan. He urged the city governments to start an education campaign on tobacco and its hazards in schools and colleges. "Ban sponsorship of sports and other entertainment events by the tobacco industry and implement legislation which clearly prohibits the sale of tobacco products within 50 meters of all educational institutions." Nicotine withdrawal symptoms last for a couple of weeks only and with strong will power and the use of particular medication, quitting smoking is not that difficult. It is a misconception that light smokers are not at risk from tobacco-related health problems. Compared with those who had never smoked, those who smoke between 1 to 4 cigarettes a day were almost three times more likely to die of a heart attack and lung cancer, he warned. Head and Neck Surgeon, Dr Shehzad Ghaffar said that tobacco use in the form of gutka and pan masala is also on the rise in Pakistan, especially amongst children, resulting in a higher incidence of head and neck cancers. "Unfortunately, Pakistan is one of the countries with a higher incidence of oral cancer," he regretted.
In the end, Humaira Waheed, Head Nurse Consulting Clinics, showed a video film in which patients suffering from various forms of tobacco-related cancers spoke about their experiences. Pakistan needs a total ban on tobacco advertising if the country has to protect its young people from the hazards of smoking.