Peshawar  - Public health experts have urged a multi-faceted strategy to tackle the growing economic burden of tobacco consumption in Pakistan, which has led to a surge in preventable diseases and healthcare costs.

“The economic burden of tobacco use in Pakistan exceeds Rs 615 billion, covering both direct healthcare costs for treating tobacco- related illnesses and indirect losses due to reduced productivity and premature deaths,” said Programme Manager at a non-governmental organization focused on public health awareness.

She highlighted the absence of effective legislation to curb both traditional and modern smokeless tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and sheesha, which continue to be openly sold online and through home delivery services.

Pakistan has an estimated 24 million adult tobacco users, with smokeless forms like gutka and naswar being widely available and affordable, further exacerbating public health concerns.

Pulmonologist from the KP Health Department warned that tobacco remains a leading cause of preventable diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

“Most of my patients are poor laborers who started smoking at a young age. By the time they seek medical help, their condition is already in advanced stages,” he lamented. Many of these individuals are sole breadwinners, and their illnesses place an immense financial burden on their families.

Beyond healthcare, tobacco farming also poses a threat to food security, warned Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Importers and Exporters Association. “Tobacco farming diverts large tracts of fertile agricultural land from food production, which is concerning given that 36.9% of Pakistan’s population faces food insecurity,” he said, calling for alternative crop farming to mitigate this crisis.

General Secretary of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Association for Excellence in Agriculture, noted that KP alone has 30,000 hectares of land under tobacco cultivation. If half of this area were shifted to growing vegetables and food grains, farmers could earn higher profits while improving food supply.

International climate expert and CEO of Resilient Future International, pointed out that tobacco cultivation depletes soil fertility due to excessive pesticide and fertilizer use.