Reasons for smoking.

INTRODUCTION

In Pakistan there are an estimated 28 million smokers at present. If each smoker spends just Rs. 20 per day Rs. 560 million are wasted in smoking cigarettes. In addition several billion rupees are spent by people on the treatment of smoking related diseases every year. Thus, the economics loss to the country as a result of tobacco use is huge.

Experience from the western world has shown that controlling tobacco consumption in a country actually saves money. The government of Pakistan, unlike other governments in the region has so far not taken any concrete step toward to the control of this epidemic. The government probably fears that by controlling tobacco they will lose the revenue generated from taxation on cigarettes. According to the experts of WHO and World Bank, controlling tobacco use will bring unprecedented health benefits without harming the economy of the country.

There are over 7,000 scientific studies published in various international journals, which prove the serious harm caused to human health from tobacco use.

Smoking Kills-hy

Some Kills

Inside the Tobacco warehouse

Up to 90 percent of lung cancer and 80 percent of deaths from chronic obstructive lung disease are caused by tobacco use.

Tobacco use is also the most important risk factor for heart attack. Smoking is also a risk factor for cancer of the kidney, buccal cavity, food pipe, larynx, bladder, pancreases and breast. One in two smokers will die earlier than they will otherwise would have as a result of smoking. Smokers have a poor quality of life compared to that of non-smokers.

The harmful effects of tobacco use are not just confined to the smokers alone; those who live or work close to smokers are also at an increased risk of various diseases including lung cancer, heart attack, child hood respiratory disease, effusion in children, asthma, eye, nose and...