ISLAMABAD: The rate at which smokers in Pakistan are attempting to quit has remained largely unchanged over the past decade, according to figures from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2024 cited during a media briefing in Islamabad.
The data showed that 24.1% of tobacco smokers in Pakistan had attempted to quit during the previous 12 months, compared with 24.7% recorded in 2014. The figures come as tobacco-related health risks remain a major public health concern in the country.
Millions of Pakistanis Use Tobacco
According to figures presented at the briefing, around 22.7 million people in Pakistan currently use tobacco, including approximately 14 million adults who smoke.
Senior officials from Philip Morris International said the relatively unchanged rate of quit attempts highlights the need for effective tobacco-control policies and stronger implementation of existing regulations.
Alexey Kim, Senior Director of Corporate Affairs and International Campaigns at Philip Morris International, said the health risks associated with smoking are well established and that the key policy challenge is reducing smoking while protecting young people and maintaining effective regulatory oversight.
Focus on Regulation and Enforcement
Participants at the briefing emphasized the importance of evidence-based public policy and measurable outcomes in reducing tobacco-related harm.
Kim said tobacco and nicotine products do not necessarily carry identical levels of risk, arguing that combustible cigarettes are particularly harmful because they involve burning tobacco. He called for regulatory frameworks based on evidence and appropriate oversight of different nicotine products.
He also stressed that any products legally available to adult consumers should be subject to appropriate quality standards and regulatory monitoring to limit the growth of illegal and unregulated markets.
According to the briefing, effective enforcement should include compliance checks at retail outlets, supply-chain accountability, product monitoring and enforcement of age-verification requirements.
Youth Protection Remains a Priority
Officials stressed that young people should not use tobacco or nicotine products and that regulatory measures should prioritize preventing access by minors.
The figures on smoking cessation underline the continuing challenge of reducing tobacco use in Pakistan, where efforts to encourage smokers to quit have shown little change in reported quit attempts over the past decade.