Research Articles

How to cope with effects of quitting smoking (July 05, 2024)
Every smoker faces different conditions after quitting smoking. When you quit smoking, your body and mind have to get used to not having nicotine, almost every smoker has some nicotine withdrawal symptoms. This article highlights some such symptoms and ways to prevent them. Click for detail

ARI Newsletter May 2024 (July 01, 2024)
The latest study done by Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) confirms consumption of tobacco has not declined in Pakistan. The study says tobacco industry has shifted from a legitimate industry to tax-evading cigarette manufacturers in a big way. The LUMS has estimated it is going to cause an annual loss of Rs300 billion to national exchequer during the ongoing financial year. Click for detail

For health's sake (July 01, 2024)
Quitting smoking brings immediate relief for most smokers. This is a fact every smoker should know and understand. A dependence on tobacco can lead to severe diseases and prove fatal. It is important to remember that no matter how long one has smoked cigarettes, quitting has benefits. Click for detail

Clinical study protocol on electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches for smoking cessation in Pakistan: a randomized controlled trial (May 23, 2024)
Pakistan is one of most vulnerable low- and middle-income countries with 29 million adult active tobacco users. Smoking cessation services are lacking as the tobacco control initiatives have largely failed to address the smoking endemic. Over the last 5 years, Pakistan has witnessed the use of innovative tobacco harm reduction (THR) products such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. Click for detail

Public Health Practitioners’ Knowledge towards Nicotine and Other Cigarette Components on Various Human Diseases in Pakistan: A Contribution to Smoking Cessation Policies (May 23, 2024)
Smoking cessation seems to be a weak link in the struggle against tobacco epidemic in Pakistan. Awareness regarding nicotine is lacking not only in the general population but also among public health practitioners. This lack of knowledge is one of the key barriers to bringing down the prevalence of smoking. Using primary survey data and nonparametric econometric techniques, this study assesses the knowledge of nicotine and harm reduction among public health practitioners in Pakistan. Click for detail

Cigarette and ENDS dual use longitudinal transitions among adults in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, Waves 4-5 (2016-2019) (April 19, 2024)
A study by Dr Eva Sharma has found that dual, daily use of ENDS and traditional cigarettes led to reduced cigarette smoking compared with non-daily ENDS use, suggesting a role for ENDS in smoking cessation. Click for detail

E-cigarettes and harm reduction: An evidence review (April 19, 2024)
A new reported published by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) looks at the part e-cigarettes can play in preventing death, disability and inequalities from tobacco use. Click for detail

ARI Newsletter February 2024 (April 01, 2024)
Syed Yawar, 35, a manager in a private firm, started smoking in 2009. Hooked to the habit, he was smoking a packet of 20 cigarettes a day. However, this also brought cough attacks, chest infection and shortness of breath. In the meantime, like all adult smokers in Pakistan, Yawar made quitting attempts but could not give up smoking. Click for detail

ARI Newsletter January 2024 (March 26, 2024)
In my 36 years of fghting the smoking epidemic, one of the most important lessons I've learned is that there is no single action that supports all adults who smoke trying to quit. One size does not at all. I am heartened that tobacco use remains a key priority for global health leaders, as evidenced by the tenth meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP10) last week. Leaders from the 168 countries that have signed the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) spent five days discussing the best practices to lower smoking rates from a top-down policy approach. Click for detail

Tobacco harm control (March 01, 2024)
As in the rest of the world, approaches to effective tobacco control have faltered in Pakistan. Currently tobacco control efforts are at a standstill. Globally, the World Health Organisation estimates 8.5 million tobacco-related deaths annually. These tobacco-related deaths are projected to increase to 10 million every year before registering a decrease. Click for detail

ARI Newsletter November 2023 (December 21, 2023)
Muhammad Haider Mehmood, 26, a media monitor, started smoking back in 2015. He was soon addicted to the habit of using 20 cigarettes a day. His health started deteriorating as smoking resulted in chronic health issues. "I am suffering from hypertension and breathing issues because of smoking," he told Alternative Research Initiative (ARI) in Blue Area, Islamabad. He tried many times to quit smoking but he was unable to do so. "I could not give up," he added. Click for detail

ARI Newsletter October 2023 (December 06, 2023)
Ahmed Ali, 33, a MBBS student, started smoking in 2017. He became addicted to smoking as he gradually increased the consumption of cigarettes and started more than 20 cigarettes a day. Consequently, his health deteriorated. "I have health issues like acidity, cough attacks and an upset stomach." He toldthe Alternative Research Initiative (ARI), in an interview at Jinnah Super Market, Islamabad. He tried to quit smoking. For this, he has given a chance to Velo but the product has not helped him. Further, he noticed that it has serious side effects on health. "By using Velo, I became a diarrhea patient and have continued stomach issues." Click for detail

ARI Newsletter September 2023 (November 05, 2023)
Azhar Bilal, 45, a civil engineer, started smoking back in 1997. Young and energetic, Bilal was hooked to the habit as he started more than 20 cigarettes a day. This resulted in severe cough attacks. "I would have these attacks in the night," he told Alternative Research Initiative (ARI) in an interview on phone from Lahore. However, he continued to smoke combustible cigarettes. "I simply could not give up." He went to Dubai for a job but was unable to quit smoking. Click for detail