ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Tuesday that tobacco use kills around 164,000 people every year in Pakistan and causes annual economic losses exceeding $6.6 billion, while tobacco and nicotine companies increasingly target children and young consumers.
The warning came ahead of World No Tobacco Day on May 31, as WHO launched a global campaign calling on governments to strengthen action against tobacco and nicotine addiction, particularly among youth.
According to WHO, tobacco-related economic losses in Pakistan exceed Rs1,800 billion ($6.6 billion) annually. The figure is nearly seven times higher than the tobacco industry’s total tax contribution, which stood at around Rs265 billion ($945 million) in 2025.
“Tobacco is a killer,” WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr. Dapeng Luo said in a statement.
“It is killing our loved ones and families while severely damaging public health and national economies.”
He warned that all tobacco products, whether legal or illegal, are highly toxic and dangerous.
WHO said tobacco remains one of the leading causes of preventable deaths worldwide and contributes to heart disease, stroke, lung disease and multiple forms of cancer.
The agency also warned that tobacco and nicotine companies were redesigning and marketing products to attract younger consumers.
“Children and youth are especially exposed to these industries, which deliberately design products to trap young people in addiction,” WHO said.
The organization’s 2026 World No Tobacco Day campaign carries the theme “Unmasking the Appeal – Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction.” The campaign focuses on how tobacco companies market e-cigarettes and other nicotine products to younger audiences while attempting to bypass tighter regulations.
WHO cited global estimates showing that at least 40 million children aged 13 to 15 currently use at least one tobacco product, including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes.
The agency also urged Pakistan to strengthen tobacco taxation policies, noting that cigarette taxes have not increased since February 2023, effectively making tobacco products more affordable despite inflation.
WHO recommends taxes account for at least 75 percent of the retail price of tobacco products, but Pakistan remains below that benchmark.
The organisation said higher tobacco taxes not only increase government revenues but also reduce smoking rates, tobacco-related diseases and pressure on healthcare systems.
Pakistan ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2004 and has since worked with WHO on tobacco taxation and anti-smuggling measures, including track-and-trace systems for tobacco products.
