ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday urged lawmakers to strengthen anti-tobacco legislation and enforcement mechanisms, warning that children and young people remained particularly vulnerable to addiction as tobacco and nicotine companies adopted new products and marketing strategies to attract users.
Zardari issued the message on World No Tobacco Day, which is observed annually on May 31 to raise awareness about the health risks associated with tobacco use and to encourage governments and communities to adopt measures aimed at reducing tobacco consumption.
“Children and young people remain particularly vulnerable,” the president said in his message.
“The tobacco and nicotine industry continues to target younger generations through evolving products and marketing approaches designed to create and sustain addiction,” he added. “Early exposure to nicotine heightens the risk of lifelong dependence and adverse health outcomes.”
Zardari said the growing use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping devices, nicotine pouches and other nicotine products posed increasing public health concerns globally and in Pakistan, while evidence also pointed to worrying patterns of poly-substance use among young people.
He warned that tobacco use was closely linked to a growing burden of noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory conditions, placing sustained pressure on hospitals, clinics and public health services.
Citing World Health Organization estimates, the president said tobacco causes more than 7 million deaths worldwide each year, including around 1.6 million linked to 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,” he said.
The president said exposure to second-hand smoke increased children’s vulnerability to asthma, pneumonia, ear infections, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome, while the financial impact of tobacco-related illnesses could place a severe burden on households through treatment costs and reduced earning capacity.
“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,” he said while referring to the growing use of tobacco across the country.
