KARACHI: Govt blamed for rise in tobacco consumption
KARACHI, Sept 13: In the process of realizing a whooping amount of Rs20 billion under the head of taxes from sale of cigarettes, the government has overlooked major risk factors which lead to lung cancer, heart attack, chronic bronchitis, stroke, high blood pressure, besides 20 other deadly diseases caused by smoking.
“There is a general lack of public awareness about the negative effects and serious harms caused by the use of tobacco on human body, and in view of the gravity of the situation we must pressurize the government and compel it to realize that tobacco is a formidable public health issue, affecting about 35 million people of the country in all age groups, especially the youth”.
These views were expressed by representatives of the Pakistan Chest Society, the Cancer Society, the Pakistan Medical Association, Karachi, The Aga Khan University, the Pakistan Anti- Tobacco Coalition, the Karachi Law Clinic, the Hypertension League and the Pakistan Association of Pathologists at Karachi Press Club on Friday to apprise newsmen of a proposed smoking prohibition ordinance promulgated by the federal government which they claimed was replete with lacunas.
Tobacco is claiming lives in Pakistan at an unprecedented scale, but ironically there is silence on the issue from the government side, which does not appear to be interested in view of the monetary gains involved to check proliferation of smoking.
In his presentation, Dr Jawaid Khan, chest consultant, AKU, said tobacco utilization in western countries had decreased sharply because of strict implementation of laws and high cost.
“Compelled by the adverse circumstances and marked reduction in their revenue generation, major cigarette companies have invaded the Third World countries for promoting their products with their special focus of attention on India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China etc.
“According to a recent study conducted by the AKU, over 40 per cent of adult males and 8 per cent of adult females were found to be habitual smokers and if included the use of tobacco in the form of pan, naswar and gutka, it is estimated that more than 50 per cent of the country’s adult population consume tobacco product in some form or the other,” he maintained.
He said in the year 2000, some four million people around the world died of diseases related to smoking.
Dr Ejaz Vohra of the Ziauddin Medical University said parents smoking at homes were main source of ailments among their offsprings, which include asthma.
He blamed the media for developing smoking interests among the youth by offering a number of incentives which allured them to fall prey to the menace.
“It transpired during different radio programmes that when a driver of a long-driven vehicle was asked about the secret of his hard work he gave credit to smoking.”
Dr Nadeem Rizvi, president Sindh Chest Society, said 80 per cent of lung cancer were caused mainly by smoking.
He said cigarette companies had now started targeting the developing world for promotion of their products, following strict laws promulgated by the developed countries.
Prof Naeem Jafery, vice-chancellor of the Ziauddin Medical University, said it was incumbent upon all segments of the population to devise ways and means to protect the youth from falling prey to smoking as advertising companies by employing various methods were trapping them.
Prof Sirajudaulla of the Sindh Medical College and PMA Karachi president Dr Haseeb Alam also spoke.—PPI
