KARACHI: Chairman, National Alliance for Tobacco Control (NATC), Prof Javaid Khan, has registered his serious concern on delay in introducing large sized pictorial health warnings on the cigarettes pack available across the country.
Addressing a press conference to mark World No Tobacco Day, he said the scenario is a stark reminder for all of us that we are lagging behind the rest of the world in our Tobacco control efforts.
"This is absolutely unacceptable as no less than 165,000 lives are lost in Pakistan due to tobacco smoking and chewing in one or the other form," said the senior pulmonologist.
Dr. Khan mentioned that numerous countries have introduced large sized pictorial health warnings on the cigarettes packs enabling them to reduce the burden of tobacco related morbidity and mortality.
Ironically, however, tobacco is still accepted as a norm in our society, he regretted.
Prof Ali Zubairi, supplementing his colleague said the thematic focus of current year's World No Tobacco Day "Tobacco and Heart Diseases," holds relevance to our country where cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has emerged to be a grave public health concern.
"CVDs that kill more people than any other disease is aggravated due to tobacco use and is the foremost cause of deaths from CVDs," he said.
The chest physicians comprising members of NATC reiterated their demand for increased taxation on tobacco products and a comprehensive ban on smoking in public places as two other strategies which if implemented can significantly help in controlling tobacco epidemic in the country.
It was mentioned with deep concern that while relevant laws were in place since 2002, however, no serious efforts have been made to implement them.
Cigarettes are still being sold at a very low cost in the country and even children can purchase them easily, said Dr Muhammad Irfan of Pakistan Chest Society.
He reminded that tobacco used with betel nut is the major reason for rising head, mouth and neck cancer in the country.
The doctors mentioning that tobacco has dangerous repercussions on the health of the public added that a colossal share of foreign exchange is consumed in importing exorbitantly priced medicines required to treat diseases caused by tobacco.
They urged the decision makers to realize that not only public health can be ameliorated but precious resources can also be saved for the country once the tobacco epidemic is controlled effectively by implementing tobacco control laws.
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