Zubair Qureshi
Pakistan is one of the 15 countries in the world where tobacco is used extensively and of the main reasons behind death of people is attributed to use of tobacco.
These views were expressed by President of the Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) Major General (R) Masud-ur-Rehman Kiani at an anti-tobacco symposium organized at a local hotel here Thursday.
Well known pulmonologist Dr Wajid Ali, Panah General Secretary Sanaullah Ghumman, Country Head Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids (TFK), Malik Imran, Chief Executive Officer Human Development Foundation (HDF) Col (R) Azhar Saleem and Executive Director Child Rights Organization Sajjad Cheema also highlighted the negative impact of tobacco use on our health and economy and urged the government to formulate an effective ad comprehensive policy to make the younger generation aware of the harmful effects of smoking.
Gen Kiani said smoking was one of the major causes of heart diseases and tobacco-control advocates were working tirelessly to provide medical assistance to people suffering from heart disease, especially children, from white-clad families, without any personal interest.
Dr. Wajid Ali highlighted the causes of heart and other congenital diseases due to tobacco. He said it was a matter of concern that every 6 minutes a person died of a heart attack due to smoking. It is a painful thing to have a heart attack every 2 minutes.
Smoking causes various diseases including heart, mouth, lung, esophageal cancer, diabetes and stroke. 8 million worldwide annually, while more than 160,000 people die every year in Pakistan due to smoking, smoking causes many diseases including heart, mouth, lung, esophageal cancer, diabetes, stroke, chronovirus.
Smoking has a higher risk of killing ten sinners than smoking, which also lowers the immune system. It is a matter of concern that no nation can develop without a healthy society. The government should formulate a policy to protect the people, especially the younger generation, from smoking.
PANAH General Secretary Sanaullah Ghman said according to a World Bank 2019 report, higher tobacco taxes could help lower-income societies to reduce tobacco consumption or stop using tobacco altogether, which Because they will be able to transfer their money back to food, housing, education and health care. Sanaullah Ghman said, “Research from several countries, including the World Health Organization (WHO), has shown that raising taxes reduces tobacco consumption..”
Country Head Campaign For TFK Malik Imran said Prime Minister Imran Khan had allocated Rs 4.87 billion in the budget for the” Sehat Sahulat Program”, while Rs 143.3 billion were spent on diseases caused by smoking.
If the government asks for a surcharge of Rs 10 per pack of cigarettes, which has also been approved by the Cabinet, it will generate revenue of Rs 40 billion., which will not only reduce tobacco use, but also help in launching various projects such as health care.
Col Azhar Saleem said according to a study, low-income households spent 4.1 percent of their budget on cigarettes, while the economically affluent class spent 2.5 percent on smoking. It is clear that poor people, due to lack of knowledge, spend more money on smoking and push their families towards economic exploitation.
