March 2026 Newsletter

The March 2026 issue focuses on helping adult smokers in Pakistan quit smoking. The lead article by Sarnawaz Salamat says many smokers want to quit, but very few succeed because proper cessation services are not easily available. Every year, about one-fourth of smokers in Pakistan try to quit, but fewer than three percent successfully stop smoking.

The article explains that Pakistan has more than 31 million tobacco users, including around 17 million smokers. Despite this large number, smoking cessation is almost missing from tobacco control work. The main tobacco law, the Prohibition of Smoking in Enclosed Places and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance, 2002, does not properly address smoking cessation.

The newsletter highlights that Pakistan is among the 15 countries with the highest tobacco consumption. Nearly 40 percent of adults and 55 percent of children are routinely exposed to secondhand smoke. Smoking contributes to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, COPD, tuberculosis, and many other serious health problems.

The main article says Pakistan needs structured quit-smoking programmes at federal, provincial, and local levels. These programmes should include counselling, behaviour therapy, nicotine replacement therapies, medicines, and professional support. Public hospitals rarely offer dedicated smoking cessation services, while private options are often expensive.

The article also stresses the important role of doctors and healthcare providers. It says doctors should be trained and sensitized about smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction so they can help adult smokers quit or move away from combustible cigarettes.

The issue also includes personal stories of smokers. Ali Khan, 75, has smoked for nearly five decades and wants to quit, but he lacks information about quitting strategies and cessation services. Muhammad Zakaria, 65, started tobacco use very early through hukkah and later moved to cigarettes. He has tried to reduce smoking several times but cravings and social influence pulled him back.

Another article reports that Global Action welcomed the U.S. FDA’s draft guidance on certain flavored e-cigarettes. The guidance recognizes that some flavors may help adult smokers switch completely to less risky nicotine alternatives, while youth protection remains important.

The newsletter also provides a practical guide for smokers considering switching from cigarettes. It explains that nicotine does not cause cancer, while the main harm comes from burning tobacco. It also compares disposable and reusable vapes and explains that regulated vaping products are not risk-free but are much less harmful than smoking.

The final article argues that high tobacco taxes alone are not enough if cigarettes remain affordable. It says Pakistan must move beyond symbolic tax increases and ensure that cigarettes become genuinely more expensive over time through a simple and effective tax system.

The main story says adult smokers in Pakistan need practical help to quit smoking, especially those who have tried many times but failed. It highlights the lack of structured cessation services, quit-lines, counselling, affordable nicotine replacement therapies, and active involvement of doctors in helping smokers quit.