ISLAMABAD, May 31 (APP): As the world marks World No Tobacco Day, the alarming new data reveals that tobacco use remains a major public health threat in Pakistan, with over 23 million people actively consuming tobacco products.
According to recent estimates, one in every five adults in the country smokes tobacco, contributing to a significant burden on Pakistan’s healthcare system.
Those consuming tobacco products also including cigarettes, gutka, paan, and naswar. More than 160,000 deaths each year are attributed to diseases linked to tobacco use, including cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory conditions.
Public health experts are particularly concerned about the rising vulnerability of youth.
A national survey indicates that nearly 10 percent of school-going children aged 13 to 15 are using tobacco products, raising fears of a new generation hooked on nicotine.
“The tobacco industry is increasingly targeting our youth through social media and influencer marketing,” said Dr. Sana Rauf, a public health advocate based in Islamabad . “Despite existing laws, products are too easily available—especially single-stick cigarette sales, which are particularly harmful for young users.”
According to anti-tobacco campaigners there are three key challenges, easy access to cigarettes, aggressive promotional tactics, and ineffective enforcement of tobacco control laws.
While Pakistan has ratified the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), experts argue that more efforts are needed to implement existing laws.
Health officials and civil society groups are now calling for stronger regulatory measures, including a nationwide ban on single-stick sales, stricter monitoring of digital tobacco advertising, and greater investment in enforcement mechanisms.
Without urgent action, they warn, tobacco use could continue to cost thousands of lives and strain the already overburdened health sector.