Health experts have warned that hazardous chemicals prevailing in tobacco were causing cancer and other fatal diseases and informed that 0.1 million deaths were occurring in Pakistan due to tobacco consumption's every year.
These views were expressed by different experts while addressing a workshop arranged jointly by the Provincial Health Department and WHO for sensitisation of the Nazimeen of Union Councils of Town 4, Peshawar about tobacco use here on Saturday. Nazim Town 4, Arbab Aamir, Naib Nazim, Malik Aman and the elected nazimeen participated the workshop.
Health experts, Dr Fayaz, Dr Mustafa, Dr Shafiullah Khan and Behramand spoke on various aspects of tobacco use and also highlighted steps to reduce its demand.
Dr Fayaz said that tobacco use was harmful in each and every form. He informed that 22 million people were using tobacco in the country and majority of the users were belong to productive age group of 15-35 years.
Quoting a survey conducted by Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA), the expert said that according to the study every day 12000 fresh youth starts use of tobacco.
He elaborated that tobacco contains 4000 different chemical and 43 out of them were causing various forms of cancer. "Tobacco was also a leading cause of cardiac complications, paralysis, abortion and the birth of low weight babies", he informed. The expert termed, huge revenue generated by tobacco, attractive advertisements and use of tobacco by the role models as main hurdles in reducing its consumption.
Dr Mustafa underlined the need of establishing smoking cessation clinics to help users to give up the habit. He also stressed the need of strong determination, involvement in positive activities to avert the withdrawal symptoms and give up permanently the use of tobacco.
Dr Shafiullah, while highlighting salient features of Prohibition of Smoking Ordinance 2002 informed that the ordinance apart from banning tobacco use in public places, public transport had also prohibited tobacco advertisement in media, its sale to teenagers and its storage and sale within 50 meter radius of the education institutions.
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