March 2022 Newsletter

This newsletter begins with a report on a consultation held in Sukkur on the role of smoking cessation services and tobacco harm reduction in Pakistan. The consultation was arranged by Alternative Research Initiative, Workers Education and Research Organization, and NARI Foundation. Participants discussed the heavy health and economic burden caused by combustible smoking in Pakistan and noted that the country has nearly 29 million tobacco users.

The newsletter explains that most smoking-related disease risk comes from burning tobacco, which produces smoke, tar, and toxic gases. If smokers can find acceptable alternatives that provide nicotine without burning tobacco, they may avoid much of the disease risk linked with smoking. The consultation also highlighted that smokers’ concerns have often been ignored in Pakistan’s tobacco-control efforts, and many smokers do not know where to seek help when they want to quit.

The issue argues that a smoke-free Pakistan is possible before 2030 if effective cessation services become accessible and affordable, and if tobacco harm reduction is included in national tobacco-control policy. It also calls for health practitioners to be engaged in cessation efforts and for innovative harm-reduction products to be regulated sensibly.

The newsletter also includes international and research-focused updates. One article reports that the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction estimated 82 million vapers worldwide in 2021. Another article says smoking remains a major public-health challenge and that smokers need better support to quit. The issue also discusses concerns about flawed e-cigarette research, possible benefits and risks of electronic nicotine delivery systems, and cigarette production trends in Pakistan, where reported cigarette output increased sharply in 2021.