Smoking remains a major public health concern in Pakistan as World Health Organization (WHO) report has revealed that tobacco consumption causes around 164,000 deaths annually in the country.
According to the report, tobacco use also results in an annual economic loss of $6.6 billion to the national economy.
In contrast, the government earns approximately Rs265 billion in taxes from the tobacco industry; however, the overall economic damage is estimated to reach up to Rs1,800 billion.
The report further says that the use of cigarettes, nicotine products, and other tobacco-related items is rapidly increasing addiction among children and young people.
Globally, 40 million children aged between 13 and 15 begin using tobacco products, including 20 million who smoke cigarettes, 1 million who use smokeless tobacco, and the rest who use vaping products. It adds that half of tobacco users eventually die from diseases such as heart disease, cancer, lung disorders, and stroke.
The WHO has recommended increasing taxes on cigarettes further to discourage tobacco consumption. It also noted that World No Tobacco Day will be observed in Pakistan on May 31.
