ISLAMABAD: An event for the launching of a report on the tobacco industry, published by non-governmental organization (NGO) TheNetwork, was inaugurated by cancer patients on Thursday.

The report, titled “Smoky Truth”, highlights the tactics used by the tobacco industry to maximize profits and mislead government around the world, and discusses the importance of corporate social responsibility.

The cancer patients attending the launch narrated their personal experiences with smoking and cancer.

Mohammad Ziakat, 31, worked in Dubai and was a chain smoker, before he was diagnosed with throat cancer. “I quit smoking and began treatment immediately. So far, cancer treatment has cost me Rs.400,000, and I lost my job in Dubai because I could not return in time,” Ziakat told the audience.

Feroz Din, 55, a blacksmith from a small village in the Haripur district, said he smoked for 45 years and had to quit after he was diagnosed with throat cancer.

“Because of the disease, I had to sell my property and belongings to pay for the treatment. Smoking has destroyed my life, and I hope others do not take up this habit as it causes the whole family suffering,” he said.

Shaukat Khanam Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Faisal Sultan said cigarette smoking is a major cause of lung cancer.

“A smoker is 17 times more at risk of having lung cancer than a non-smoker. In addition to cancer, smoking also causes heart disease. It has been established that as soon as a smoker quits, his chances of survival increase,” he said.

Pims Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Akram said that smoking needs to be discouraged at every forum.

“The government needs a strong regulatory framework to ensure more people do not pick up the habit. Religious scholars should issue fatwas against smoking, like other drugs,” he said.

The Pims Vice Chancellor said a study should be conducted into the Federal Bureau Revenue’s (FBR) statistics to draw a comparison between earnings from taxes on tobacco products and the health costs to the country.

“The health cost is definitely higher than the revenues collected by the tobacco industry,” he said.

Human rights activist Nasreen Azhar said “I have been a victim of passive smoking. We need to send a collective message to the government to make the tobacco industry accountable for attracting people to smoking,” she said.

TheNetwork Executive Coordinator Nadeem Iqbal said collecting information and compiling the report was challenging. He said that this report is just the tip of the iceberg.

“The report should be seen in the context of national and international tobacco control laws, where the industry is going into litigation against tobacco control regulations. This report will help develop legal arguments against the industry,” he said.

“The report also calls for the health community to create awareness among patients, and urge them to quit smoking as soon as possible,” he added.

He called upon doctors and lawyers to encourage cancer patients to sue the tobacco industry and to claim damages. He said lawyers should provide free legal aid to such patients.

Health Services Academy representative Dr Shahzad Ali Khan said the tobacco industry is more influential and resourceful than tobacco control advocates.

“We need to design a strategy according to the influence and power of the tobacco industry,” he said.

International Islamic University Professor Dr Aziz-ur-Rehman said the tobacco industry uses litigation as a tool. He discussed the case of Australia, where tobacco control advocates fought against the tobacco industry until plain cigarette packs were introduced in the country.

Nuclear Medicine Oncology and Radiology Institute (NORI) Head of Oncology Dr Mohammad Faheem warned that tobacco would become the leading cause of deaths, globally, by 2020.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015

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