CWNews
Pakistanis Claim on Smoking Deaths
'World No Tobacco
Day' was observed in Pakistan like other parts of the world on Saturday
in a bid to draw attention to the global health burden resulting from tobacco
use. Seminars, walks and poster exhibitions were organised in order to
create awareness among masses regarding health hazard effects of smoking. With theme-Tobacco
Free Youth-this year's observance focuses on creating awareness among
youths so as to persuade them to lead a healthy life. The day was
observed with an aim to raise awareness about the harmful health
effects of all forms of tobacco like cigarettes (including light, low-tar, and mild), smokeless tobacco, bidis, kreteks, clove cigarettes, cigars, shisha (flavoured tobacco smoked in a hookah pipe) and others. Addressing various functions, speakers said: "Tobacco
is the second major cause of death in the world and is responsible for
approximately one in 10 premature deaths among adults world-wide (about
5 million deaths each year). The global burden of deaths attributable to tobacco use each year is estimated to double if current smoking
patterns continue. It will cause some 10 million deaths each year and
half the people that smoke today -that is about 650 million people will
eventually be killed by tobacco'.
Pakistan Medical Society (PMS) in collaboration with the University of
Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) on Saturday organised a seminar. UVAS
VC Professor Mohammad Nawaz, Professor Mohammad Amjad of College of
Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP), Professor Munir Saleemi of
King Edward Medical University, Professor Azeem Jehangir of Sir
Gangaram Hospital, Dr Masood Sheikh of PMS and Dr Sadeen Khalid spoke
on the occasion. Professor Nawaz said smoking beyond any doubt causes many diseases and ailments. Smoking
causes heart attack, cancer of lungs of oral cavity, cancer of
oesophagus, cancer of sound box (larynx), lung diseases like chronic
bronchitis and emphysema. Professor Azeem Jehangir said smoking decreases oxygen supply to the heart and enhances the process of atherosclerosis. He said that smoking
increases the risk of heart disease three times as compared to a
non-smokers. It greatly increases the danger to have heart attack when
other risk factors like hypertension or diabetes mellitus are also
present in an individual. Dr Masood Sheikh said that smokeless tobacco
causes oral cancer and might be a risk factor for cardiovascular
disease, bidis increase the risk for oral, lung, and esophageal cancers
while waterpipe smoking
increases the risk for oral and lip cancer and obstructive lung
disease. Maulana Akram Kashmiri urged the youths to follow Islamic
teachings that will help overcome the bad habit of smoking. He said ban on smoking must be implemented in letter and spirit.
