It has been almost four hundred years since early writings first drew attention to the health hazards of tobacco. For decades, there has been a strong consensus in the scientific and health community that tobacco products pose serious health and economic risks. Successive governments around the world, working with civil society, have taken a range of measures through regulation and awareness to reduce tobacco use. Yet it continues to pose a serious threat to public health and economic wellbeing across the world, including Pakistan.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that tobacco causes more than 7 million deaths every year worldwide, including about 1.6 million deaths from second-hand smoke exposure.
These figures should compel us to reflect on the scale of a public health challenge that continues to affect millions of people and families.
Children and young people remain particularly vulnerable. The tobacco and nicotine industry continues to target younger generations through evolving products and marketing approaches designed to create and sustain addiction. Early exposure to nicotine heightens the risk of lifelong dependence and adverse health outcomes.
The latest research shows that, globally and in Pakistan, the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping devices, nicotine pouches and other nicotine products presents growing public health concerns. There is also evidence of concerning patterns of poly-substance use, where tobacco and nicotine products may coexist with other harmful substances, creating serious risks for young people and communities. Stronger awareness, regulation and prevention efforts are essential.
Early exposure to nicotine heightens the risk of lifelong dependence, adverse health outcomes and limited future opportunities. Widespread second-hand smoke exposure increases children’s vulnerability to asthma, pneumonia, ear infections, low birth weight and sudden infant death. The impact extends beyond health, placing a heavy burden on families and health systems.
Tobacco products are also closely linked with a growing burden of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory conditions. These illnesses affect individuals and families in deeply personal ways and place sustained pressure on our hospitals, clinics and public health services.
For many households, the impact is not abstract. A working-age parent falling ill, repeated hospital visits, the cost of long-term treatment and reduced earning capacity can quickly strain already limited household resources. These pressures are felt in everyday life, from missed school days for children to the difficulties families face in managing routine expenses.
As your elder and as your head of state, I must tell you that this day is a reminder of our shared responsibility to protect current and future generations from the harms of tobacco products.
The time has come that besides other issues, our national parliament and provincial legislatures make laws and create effective enforcement mechanisms to protect our people and future generations and effectively resist the merchants of death.
Besides parliament and the government, parents, teachers, artists, poets, singers, musicians, actors, playwrights, healthcare professionals and community leaders all have a role in shaping awareness, discouraging the use of tobacco products and creating an ecosystem to protect our people. Change at the household and community level can contribute meaningfully to national progress in public health.
