KARACHI, Oct 26: Dr I. S. Burki, in charge of the chest department, Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital, has expressed concern over the fact that some 1,000 to 1,200 children between the ages of six and 16 years are taking up smoking every day.

The chest specialist, quoting the Pakistan Paediatric Association’s recent report regarding the growing incidence of smoking among children, have urged policy makers to ensure a clear procedure for restriction of availability of cigarettes and an absolute ban on the promotion of the commodity.

This, he said, was a prerequisite as smoking was a major cause of cancer and circulatory diseases. He said smoking on the part of would be mothers, or their exposure to passive smoking, was also registered to have a severe impact on the normal intellectual growth of children born to them.

“It is therefore all the more alarming that about 29 per cent of men and around 8 per cent of women in Pakistan are regular smokers,” he said referring to the National Health Survey.

Dr Burki also mentioned the figure forwarded by the Pakistan Society for Cancer Prevention showing 37 per cent of men over 15 years of age to be smokers.

He said a global unity was required to support an international code of conduct for transnational companies advertising cigarettes.

He observed that globally a lot of money was being spent on anti-smoking campaigns, but proper utilization remained in the hands of the local authorities.—APP