Smoking rates among Pakistani men have declined steadily over the past decade, while tobacco use among women has increased sharply, according to data highlighted by Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics.
Between 2014 and 2024, the smoking rate among men fell from 22.2% to 15.8%, representing a 29% relative decline. The trend indicates progress in efforts to reduce tobacco consumption among men.
In contrast, the female smoking rate increased from 2.1% to 3.3% during the same period, marking a 57% relative rise.
Although smoking remains far more common among men, researchers noted that women were the only demographic group showing an upward trend, a development that could be masked by national averages.
The findings are based on data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey and Global Youth Tobacco Survey and were published through Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics’ Pakistan Tobacco Insights dashboard.
The platform tracks trends in tobacco use, including smoking by age and gender, secondhand smoke exposure, cigarette prices and public attitudes towards tobacco regulations.
