KARACHI: Implementation of laws against smoking urged
KARACHI, May 30: The Pakistan Chest Society, Sindh chapter, on Monday took out a funeral procession of cigarettes in front of Karachi Press Club to symbolize the desire to make the world tobacco free. Around 50 doctors, most of them chest physicians, had gathered to mark the World No-Tobacco Day falling on May 31.
The participants were holding placards inscribed with slogans like we wish to eliminate tobacco before it eliminates us; let’s bury cigarettes before it buries us; talk to us before it’s too late; and stop smoking.
Dr Nadeem Rizvi, Dr Shaheena, Dr Shakil Siddiqui, Dr Jawed and Dr Nisar Rao, Dr Naveed Inayat, Dr Tajammul, Dr Qaiser Sajjad and others led the walk.
They said that approximately 1.3 billion people smoke cigarettes or other tobacco products worldwide. According to WHO estimates, some five million people die each year from tobacco-related illnesses, and 50 per cent of these deaths occur in developing countries.
The doctors said if current trend continued this figure would rise to about 10 million per year by 2025 with 70 per cent deaths in developing world.
PMA General Secretary Dr Qaiser Sajjad stated that smoking trend especially in youngsters and females was increasing. “At present, about 10 per cent women smoke as compared to 2 per cent in 1992 causing cancer of mouth, tongue, throat and pulmonary beside allergies and asthma,” he said.
Dr Sajjad said that depression, style, sufferings and non-implementation on existing laws were major reasons for spread of smoking. “Government has banned smoking on public places, but it is not being implemented even in government offices. Passive smokers also have risk to develop cancer,” he added.
PMA appealed citizens especially parents to give up smoking and not to let their children smoke and urged government to ensure strict implementation on laws in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Society organized a seminar on “smoking and women” to commemorate the World No-Tobacco Day at its auditorium.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Saleem Azam referred to a random survey conducted in various educational institutions in Karachi in 2004. The survey revealed that 27.4 per cent males and 4.4 per cent of females smoke in Karachi alone. Additionally 44 per cent of women and 33 per cent of men chewed pan and tobacco. The current use of highly addictive and toxic gutka and various types of supari betel nuts especially by teenagers has increased the number of female users of smokeless tobacco to an alarming proportion, it revealed.–- PPI
KARACHI, May 30: The Pakistan Chest Society, Sindh chapter, on Monday took out a funeral procession of cigarettes in front of Karachi Press Club to symbolize the desire to make the world tobacco free. Around 50 doctors, most of them chest physicians, had gathered to mark the World No-Tobacco Day falling on May 31.
