72% of women in Pakistan are smokers. The Pakistan Tobacco Board recently announced that the percentage of Pakistani women who smoke has risen to a startling 72%.
According to a report shared by the tobacco board with a public accounts subcommittee in the federal capital, the rise in female smokers has prompted medical professionals to express severe alarm about the serious health consequences of the habit.
According to health experts, increased smoking was a leading reason for increased anxiety and sadness among women, and the habit doubles the risk of stroke and has a negative influence on reproductive health.
Experts also stated that smoking raised the risk of stillbirths and the possibility of fatal lung disease in newborns by 20 times and that smoking reduces bone density, increasing the risk of hip fracture.
Also read: Why female smokers are increasing in Pakistan?
As 72% of women in Pakistan are smokers, according to data, there are over 30 million smokers in Pakistan, and over 80 billion cigarettes are smoked each year.
Pakistan is one of the countries with a high smoking-related death rate, with 160,000 people dying each year.
Cancer, respiratory problems, and heart problems are among the leading causes of death in the country.
Tobacco use is responsible for 80% of lung illnesses in women.
The tobacco board also stated that taxes, levies, and excises currently account for 85% of the price of each box of cigarettes; however, the Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC) believes that this is insufficient.
It has proposed that an additional 30% be added to the existing taxes.
According to the SPDC, doing so will not only earn Rs27 billion in money but will also deter 700,000 people from smoking.
