ISLAMABAD: Overall tobacco consumption in Pakistan has recorded a decline of 15.7 percent between 2014 and 2024, said a survey conducted by the government of Pakistan in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO)and the CDC Foundation.
The survey titled ‘Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)’results released here on Wednesday showed that tobacco consumption among females has increased by 1.7percentand reached 5.9percent.
The findings from the GATS 2024 further said that, despite progress, tobacco products are still consumed by 16.1 percent of the Pakistani population aged 15 and above.
As a result, each year, tobacco continues to cause 164,000 deaths and economic losses of over Rs1,800 billion, equivalent to USD6.6 billion.
The GATS 2024 results were released as part of the extended celebrations of World No Tobacco Day and the international campaign launched by WHO with the theme “Unmasking the Appeal -– Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction”.
It further said that Pakistan, over the years, implemented several measures to fulfill its international obligations under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
The measures include increased tobacco taxation during fiscal year 2022–2023; larger pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging; a ban on the sale of loose cigarettes nationwide; the National Tobacco Control Strategy 2022–2030; and the establishment of provincial Tobacco Control Cells and Implementation and Monitoring Committees, among others.
Decline in exposure to second-hand smoke: Among other encouraging key findings, the GATS 2024 underlines that the exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in Pakistan decreased in all locations measured in both surveys: homes, 48.3 percent to 28.8 percent, workplaces 69.1percent to 35.9 percent, government buildings 64.6percent to 40.7 percent, and private buildings 77.3percent to 54 percent, healthcare facilities 37.6percent to 24.5 percent, restaurants 86percent to 55.2 percent, marriage halls 65.7 percent to 50.3 percent, public transportation 76.2percent to 45.4 percent, universities 44.2percent to 33.3 percent and schools 25.1percent to 11.5percent.
Furthermore, the survey reports a decrease in exposure to tobacco advertising or promotions in stores from 20.4percent to 17.8percent and to any tobacco advertisements, promotions, or sponsorships from 38.6percent in 2014 to 30.5percent. There was a marginal decrease in the percentage of smokers who made an attempt to quit in the past 12 months, from 24.7percent to 24.1percent, and who were advised to quit when visiting a healthcare provider, from 51.8percent to 49.9percent.
The survey follows a science-based global standard protocol for systematically monitoring adult tobacco use, offering the last decade’s trends and a comparison with the 2014 round. It was conducted by the National Institute of Population Studies Training and Research in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination through its Tobacco Control Cell and WHO.
More than 11,000 interviews were completed with an overall response rate of 95.6 percent. GATS enhances countries’ capacity to design, implement, and evaluate tobacco control programs. It also assists countries in fulfilling their international obligations under the WHO’s FCTC, signed by Pakistan in 2004, and in generating comparable data within and across countries.
Secretary of the Ministry of National Health Services, Muhammad Aslam Ghauri, while addressing the event, said, “This year’s WNTD theme, ’Unmask the Appeal – Countering Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction’, serves as a timely reminder of the evolving tactics employed by the tobacco and nicotine industries to target young populations and create lifelong addiction.”
The emergence of electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, heated tobacco products, and digital advertising platforms has transformed the tobacco epidemic into a more complex public health challenge. The aggressive targeting of
youth through flavored products, social media influence, and misleading perceptions regarding “safer alternatives” demands urgent and coordinated policy action. Pakistan also continues to face a significant burden of tobacco use.
The findings of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Pakistan 2024 reveal that approximately 22.7 million adults currently use tobacco products in the country.
Exposure to second-hand smoke and tobacco advertising remains widespread, particularly in public spaces and among younger age groups. Approximately 163,600 Pakistanis die due to causes related to Tobacco.
Counting for 448 deaths per day, 1,200 Pakistani children aged 6-15 years start smoking every day,and 2 in 5 smokers initiate smoking in any form before the age of 10 years.
At the same time, the survey findings provide hope and direction. A considerable proportion of tobacco users are considering quitting, and strong public support exists for evidence-based measures such as increasing tobacco taxation, restricting advertising, and strengthening cessation services.
WHO Representative in Pakistan, Dr Luo Dapeng, sharing his thoughts on the occasion, said, “The GATS 2024 results confirm that, together, we can protect and save lives thanks to international cooperation and the implementation of specific measures such as taxation and banning tobacco advertisements that are particularly targeting our children and teenagers.
WHO will always stand with Pakistan to protect children and families from this public health threat.
Extensive scientific evidence confirms that all tobacco and nicotine products on the market, without exception, including licit and illicit products, and items such as e-cigarettes or
nicotine patches, are extremely harmful to health and pose a major risk to vulnerable populations such as children and teenagers. Tobacco kills up to half of its users who don’t quit. A leading cause of preventable death, it causes cardiovascular and lung disease, strokes, and multiple cancers.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026