News
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tobacco claims more lives than terrorism in PakistanBy Haris Hanif
KARACHI: The consumption of tobacco claims more than 100,000 lives annually in the country while this death toll is much higher as compared to the deaths caused by suicide attacks, terrorism, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other fatal diseases.
Health experts informed this while addressing a news conference at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Monday under the banner of National Alliance for Tobacco Control (NATC).
Head of Pulmonary Medicine, AKU and NATC Chairman Prof Javed Khan said despite well-known hazards and catastrophic effects of tobacco, the profits from its business continue to soar and sales of cigarettes consistently increase. “The sale of cigarettes rose from 5,000 billion to 5,900 billion sticks a year in 2009”, he informed.
“Smoking and other means of tobacco consumption kill more people annually than alcohol, Aids, accidents, illegal drugs, murders and suicides combined altogether. Tobacco was responsible for 5.4 million deaths in 2010 and this toll is expected to rise to 10 million by 2025 if the pandemic goes unchecked, he added.
Dr Khan said increased taxation on tobacco products and implementation of smoking ban at public places are the two most important requirements. He claimed that over half of the country’s adult population was addicted to one or other form of tobacco.
Head of Chest Diseases Department at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Prof Nadeem Rizvi also deplored that despite excellent anti-smoking laws in Pakistan, the government was not serious for their implementation.
He said according to their own survey, 85 percent tobacco selling outlets in the city are still selling cigarettes to minors and despite a ban on smoking at national univarsties, smoking was not barred at 95 percent of them.
Consultant cardiologist Dr Muhammad Ishaq said tobacco use is the most important risk factor for high blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality in Pakistan and deplored the abolition of tobacco control cell in the Federal Ministry of Health, saying it was a victory of tobacco industry in Pakistan.
The experts associated with the NATC also conducted various tests and examinations of tobacco users, smokers and non-smokers, gave health advises and prescribed medicines for them to quit the habits of smoking and tobacco chewing.
Of the 50 journalists tested by the experts, three were found to be suffering from Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSF), a condition jaw stiffness due to the frequent use of tobacco in which the sufferer faces difficulty in opening his or her mouth wide open.
Many smoking journalists’ Carbon Monoxide (CO) level was found to be above the danger level of 5 which was declared as toxic by the pulmonologists.
On the occasion, the NATC members announced to take out a rally on Tuesday, May 31 from the Arts Council of Pakistan to KPC against the growing use of tobacco and smoking and added that they would take out a symbolic ‘funeral procession’ of cigarette on the eve of World No Tobacco Day.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk