Letters to Editor

Dear editor

The role of doctors is essential to convincing smokers to quit. However, this is easier said than done. Doctors, globally and especially in Pakistan, seem to be least concerned with their smoker patients.

Dear editor,

The developed countries are moving towards smokefree futures, that is, no more smoke of cigarettes. That is something remarkable. In the 20th century, this was almost unthinkable because we associated glamour with the acting of smoking. But no more.

Dear Editor,

There can be no two opinions that young people should be kept away from every kind of tobacco use at every cost. However, the reality is otherwise. Young people are not only smoking cigarettes, but they are also using alternative products such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.

Dear Editor,

After the passage of the 18th constitutional amendment, health, along with other subjects, was placed under provincial control. Unfortunately, 16 years on, the provincial governments seem least bothered by the smoking epidemic.

Dear editor,

The framework for tobacco control in Pakistan remains outdated. It merely relies on the Prohibition of Smoking in Enclosed Places and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance, 2002.

Dear editor,

Pakistan today faces an alarming tobacco burden, with millions of adult smokers struggling to quit despite repeated attempts. While awareness campaigns have highlighted the dangers of smoking, the absence of effective and affordable cessation services leaves these individuals without the support they desperately need.