LAHORE, May 30: The City District Government of Lahore and the World Health Organization arranged on Wednesday an awareness walk to sensitize the people about the effects of smoking.

The walk was organized on the eve of the ‘World No Smoking Day’ being observed on Thursday (today).

The day is observed every year to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and for effective policies to reduce its consumption.

According to experts, the tobacco use is the second leading cause of death globally (after hypertension).

Public representatives, WHO experts and the people from all walks of life participated in the Wednesday’s awareness walk which started from the office of the Executive District Officer (Health) and ended at Faisal Chowk.

WHO representative Shehzad Alam said the tobacco use killed nearly 100,000 people each year in Pakistan.

He said tobacco use increased the likelihood of many illnesses as it contained carbon monoxide and nicotine which caused lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema and many forms of cancers.

Mr Shehzad said that Shisha was a modern form of the ‘hookah’ in which aromatic but hazardous tobacco was used to attract teenagers.

“A Shisha smoker inhales up to hundred times more tobacco in a single session than a cigarette”, he said.

He said tobacco control related law ‘Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-smoker Health Ordinance’ should be implemented under the influence of the government.

He said that parents should keep an eye on activities of their children to save them from tobacco-related activities.

Mr Shehzad said the basic purpose of arranging the walk on the World No Tobacco Day 2012 was to educate policy-makers and the general public about the tobacco industry’s nefarious and harmful tactics. — Staff Reporter