Smoking increases among Pakistani women

The number of college and university going women smokers in the country has jumped to 16 percent from six percent in the recent years, said Prof. Javaid A. Khan, a senior chest physician and researcher in his presentation during 12th Biennial Convention of Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA).

He said women smokers

too, are bearing the same health consequences of tobacco usage as the male smokers,

“Pakistanis in general consume Rs. 450 billion worth of tobacco annually including 120 billion rupees on smoking cigarettes daily, added the Consultant Chest Physician, currently associated with Aga Khan University Hospital.

In his key-note address on Tobacco Control – Key to Disease Prevention, he said millions of rupees are also spent on pan chewing, besides niswar and hookah by the masses each year.

According to a PIMA press release issued here on Monday the two day 12th Biennial Convention of the Association, concluded on Sunday evening at Hyderabad, was attended by renowned consultants, including Pediatricians, Cardiologists, Nutritionists, Oncologists, Gynecologists, Hematologists and other medical professionals.

A large number of postgraduate students and pharmacists from all parts of Sindh also attended the moot.

Dr. Javaid A. Khan in his keynote address said tobacco usage in the form of Shisha or Hooka, gaining steady popularity among youth in urban areas of the country, was 100 times more harmful than cigarettes.

“Smoking Shisha for an hour is equal to smoking 100 cigarettes in the same time,” he said.

The chest physician, a strong proponent of anti-smoking campaign said “shisha” also contains nicotine and tar that result in lung cancer and heart attacks.

“Unfortunately many people consider Shisha as a non-hazardous leisurely activity,” he said.

The chest physician referred to a WHO study that showed parents who had only 15 percent acceptability for smoking reflected over 70 percent acceptability for the Shisha smoking.

“It is an alarming trend and there was an immediate need to create awareness regarding diseases caused due to smoking, in one or the other form,” he said.

Dr. Khan deplored that in countries like Pakistan; a single cigarette was cheaper than a loaf of bread and consequently was getting popular among youth due to its availability and affordability.

He said that tobacco was responsible for 100,000 deaths annually in Pakistan.

“Appropriate and efficient measures to prohibit smoking and tobacco chewing will not only prevent deaths but also curtail heavy expenditure incurred on diseases caused due to consumption of tobacco and its bi-products,” he said.

The Chest physician said although cigarettes and tobacco were very cheaply available in Pakistan, medicine especially Tarceva, needed for treatment of lung cancer, cost patients more that US$ 4000 per month, and is unaffordable for majority of countrymen.