September 2025 Newsletter

The September 2025 issue focuses on helping older adults quit smoking. The lead article by Dr. Ehsan Latif explains that older smokers are often left out of smoking cessation efforts, even though they make up a large share of smoking-related deaths because of long-term combustible tobacco use.

The article says older adults can gain many benefits after quitting. These include lower heart rate and blood pressure, easier breathing, better management of conditions such as diabetes, improved response to treatment, better recovery, improved quality of life, and longer life expectancy. It also explains that quitting smoking may reduce the risk of stroke and dementia.

The issue also includes personal stories from smokers. Danish, a bike rider and father of two, started smoking at 13 and now wants to quit so he can save money for his children. Khalid started smoking at a young age and later moved into drug use before entering rehabilitation. These stories show how smoking can lead to health, financial, and social problems.

Another article reports ARI’s community sessions in eight districts, six in Punjab and two in Sindh. These sessions involved communities, smokers, vapers, tobacco users, doctors, mothers, students, and civil society members. Speakers discussed tobacco harms, benefits of quitting, nicotine withdrawal, cessation strategies, nicotine replacement therapy, medication, counselling, and tobacco harm reduction.

The newsletter also discusses doctors and harm reduction. It argues that many health professionals need better information about the difference between nicotine and the harmful smoke produced by burning tobacco. It says doctors should be able to guide adult smokers with honest, science-based information about quitting and reduced-risk alternatives.

The issue also reports that the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, banned the possession, promotion, and sale of vapes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and similar products on campus. Another report says safer nicotine alternatives have helped reduce smoking in countries such as Sweden, Japan, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.

The final article reports that ARI welcomed the Sindh government’s decision to ban all tobacco and nicotine products, including cigarettes, vapes, heated tobacco devices, and nicotine pouches, in public and private educational institutions. ARI said this step can help protect students, but adult smokers still need effective and affordable cessation services.

The main story explains that older adults are often ignored in smoking cessation efforts, even though they can gain major health benefits from quitting. It says quitting can improve heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, diabetes management, treatment response, quality of life, and life expectancy. The article stresses that it is never too late to help older smokers quit.