“World No Tobacco Day and the
role of Youth in Pakistan”
Smoking in all forms including cigarettes is cause of major Non-Communicable
diseases. According to a recent WHO research report, tobacco use is a risk
factor for six of the eight leading causes of death in the world. The eight
leading causes of death worldwide include Ischemic Heart Disease; cerebro-vascular
disease; lower respiratory infections; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
tuberculosis; treachea, bronchitis and lung cancers; HIV/AIDS and diarrhea
disease. Except for last two, rest of the diseases can be caused due to
cigarette smoking. Not only smoking but second hand smoking is equally dangerous
for the life of people children and adults alike. Children can develop brain
tumuors, middle ear disease, lymphoma, respiratory syndrome impaired lung
function, asthma, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), leukemia, lower
respiratory infection due to second hand smoking. Adults can develop stroke,
nasal irritation, breast cancer, coronary heart disease, lung cancer,
respiratory disease, low birth weight baby to pregnant mothers.
In poor families in developing countries purchase of tobacco can easily
represent up to 10 percent of total household expenditure. A recent survey by
the ministry of health indicated that 33% of men and 4.7 % of the women are
cigarette smokers. A survey conducted by TheNetwork in 2006 revealed that the
28% of the urban adolescent aged 15-18 years currently smoke, and is more
prevalent among the poor and the illiterate. About more then 25 million
Pakistanis smoke, and 1,200 youth start smoking each day in Pakistan. An
estimated more then 100,000 die annually from tobacco-related illnesses. In
Pakistan, more than 55.3 billion cigarettes are produced.
In Pakistan, round about 50 percent of the population is illiterate and the
smoking is more prevalent among poor. Therefore, written warnings have very
little impact on making decision to smoke a cigarette or not.
Here is a big need to engage youth in development of society. Youth can become a
prominent figure against tobacco control. Because young people can be effective
at garnering support for policy development and change. Youth capture the
attention of political leaders and the media, making them important partners in
policy advocacy. Youth have credibility with peers and community members. This
allows them to help educate the community to reduce pro-tobacco influences and
increase healthier norms and behaviors.
Young people can be effective partners in the fight against the tobacco industry
by exposing its manipulative tactics and undermining its efforts. Youth bring
energy to activities and events. Tobacco control programs should work to channel
this energy into action, resulting in increased awareness and policy change.
Youth generally volunteer their time to be involved in tobacco control efforts.
They do this because of the stake they have in their own future. Youth can
provide important insight about their generation. Involving youth in tobacco
control efforts ensures the design of effective, population-specific policies.
Young people naturally challenge the traditional attitudes that may restrict and
limit how adults think and act. They add innovation and creativity to any
program, making it more attractive to other youth and policy makers. Their novel
ideas for policy advocacy strategies help push efforts forward.
Youth have the ability to mobilize their peers for activities and facilitate
access to many arenas. These actions add strength to tobacco control policy
efforts while also broadening the type and number of venues involved in message
delivery.
So, young people should accept their responsibility to tobacco control and
condemn the use of tobacco and also raise awareness among their peer groups and
families, and in near future Pakistan will be a developed country and we can say
“Healthy Pakistan”
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