KARACHI: A recent report by a body of academic researchers and professionals has revealed an alarming ratio of women and children indulging in smoking in Pakistan, risking their health.
Capital Calling, a network comprising academic researchers and professionals, has raised alarm over the growing prevalence of female and underage smokers in Pakistan. In a recent report, the network emphatically calls for an increase in cigarette taxes and condemns multinational companies for their relentless lobbying to reduce these taxes.
According to Capital Calling, a staggering seven percent of women in the country are now smokers, resulting in a colossal burden of over Rs615 billion on the national exchequer annually in terms of healthcare costs.
To discourage cigarette sales and bolster revenue, the government took a significant step in February by raising the Federal Excise Duty (FED) on cigarettes. This move garnered praise from anti-tobacco activists and civil society, who now advocate for further tax hikes as an imperative measure.
Research highlighted by Capital Calling brings forth concerning statistics, revealing that the highest proportion of female smokers is concentrated in rural areas (10 pc) and among individuals with lower education levels (12 pc). The report provides further insights, indicating that 19.5 pc of women smokers are aged between 25 and 29.
Notably, Sindh exhibits the highest prevalence of women smokers, standing at 34 pc, while a significant majority of 58.5 pc of women smokers reside in rural areas. The report also sheds light on the socio-economic profile of female smokers, disclosing that 71.7 pc of them are illiterate, 33.1 pc live in poverty, and 78.6 pc are unemployed. Additionally, 94.5 pc of female smokers are either married or divorced. Shockingly, 52.7 pc of women smokers have experienced domestic violence.
The report further reveals that over 1,200 children in Pakistan begin smoking daily, leading to an estimated 20 million underage smokers nationwide. Note that the legal smoking age in the country is 18 years.
The detrimental health consequences linked to smoking, including lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and respiratory infections, pose substantial hazards to women and children. These risks significantly diminish their quality of life and heighten the likelihood of premature death.
In Pakistan, multinational tobacco companies are attempting to deceive the government by asserting a causal connection between tax hikes and the proliferation of illicit cigarette trade. Nevertheless, extensive research studies have discredited this assertion, unveiling that the prevalence of illicit cigarettes remains below 18 pc, encompassing those smuggled from Afghanistan and Iran.