"Tobacco is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths annually in Pakistan directly or indirectly. It was major cause of lung cancer and heart diseases globally in addition to many other diseases attributed to smoking. The number of young female smokers in Pakistan has jumped to 16.3 percent from 6 percent in recent years."
This was disclosed by Professor Dr Zahid Masood in a seminar to mark the "No Tobacco Day" at the University of Faisalabad. Dr Zahid Masood, Head Department of Community Medicine, UMDC said that according to report Pakistanis spent Rs 250 billion on over 64 billion cigarettes in the financial year 2014. According to a study conducted in Pakistan frequency of Sheesha smoking among students was 19.7 percent.
In countries like Pakistan smoking was getting popular among youth due to its easy availability and affordability, he added. According to a report released by Pakistan Paediatric Association, the smokers of the low socio-economic group spent 25 percent of their total household income on cigarettes. Speaking on the occasion Dr Rafshan Sadiq, Head of Oncology at PINUM, Faisalabad said that lung cancer was one of most common cancers in men and had strong correlation with smoking.
Chief guest of the seminar, Professor Dr Muhammad Saeed, Dean Faculty of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, TUF said that there was dire need to educate people on harmful effects of smoking on individuals and their families. He appreciated the efforts of Government of Punjab to address the menace of sheesha smoking. Earlier Professor Dr Abdul Haq, Director ORIC expressed his views. Dr Uzma gave the overview and spoke on the theme of No tobacco Day. A large number of students and faculty members attended the seminar.
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