'World No Tobacco Day' observed: economic cost of smoking in Pakistan stands at around Rs 143,208 million

Like other parts of the globe, 'World No-Tobacco Day-2019' was marked here on Friday with a renewed pledge to continue efforts for raising awareness about the health problems associated with the tobacco use and creating an environment free from smoke. To mark the day, different NGOs and other organisations held functions to make people aware of the health problems that tobacco use can cause.
Health professionals believe that economic cost of smoking in Pakistan amounts to about Rs 143,208 million. This includes direct costs related to healthcare expenditures and indirect costs related to lost productivity due to early mortality and morbidity. According to a report, Pakistan can do more to make the proven tobacco control tools work for its citizens' well-being. "Tobacco harms the health, the treasury, and the spirit of Pakistan," it noted.
The report highlighted that more than 125,000 children (10-14 years old) and 1,473,7000 adults (15+ years) continue to use tobacco each day. Health professional Dr Aamir Nazir, who is TB specialist, said Pakistan was one of 15 countries worldwide with a heavy burden of tobacco-related health issues.
Quoting a survey, he said that 1,000 to 1,200 Pakistani children between the ages of six and 15 began smoking every day. "Pakistan's population consists of 60pc youth below the age of 25, where alarming statistics of young people getting addicted and at risk of tobacco consumption calls for strict tax reforms and checks for selling cigarettes to minors particularly," he said.
He asked the people to protect their lungs by not only quitting tobacco smoking but also saying no to second-hand smoke. According to WHO, enough scientific evidence is available to prove that tobacco is harmful in all its forms and disguise as it kills over eight million people every year worldwide.