48% of youth in Karachi city are habitual smokers: Saghir

[LahoreEstate]

KARACHI: In a message on ‘World No Tobacco Day’, Sindh Health Minister Dr Saghir Ahmed highlighted the various dreadful effects of smoking, focusing on the fact that it is the main cause of throat, chest and lung diseases.

He said that it was shocking to know that the trend of smoking in our youth is rising and according to a survey 48 percent of youth in Karachi were habitual smokers. The survey also shows that 24 percent male and 16 percent female college students of Karachi smoke regularly. The minister said that, according to estimates, around eight percent of habitual smokers turn to drugs and narcotics at some stage which is also alarming.

Dr Ahmed pointed out that smoking is also the main cause of chronic diseases, including cancer of the mouth, tongue, throat and larynx, besides various lungs and cardiovascular diseases. Second hand smoking is also equally dangerous to health and children are particularly vulnerable to passive smoking, as they inhale this poison without knowing. The Sindh government, he said, is well aware of the dangers of smoking and is trying to create awareness among the masses. He said that as a signatory to the UN framework convention on Tobacco Control, the government is bound to adopt measures to warn people about tobacco consumption habits, specially smoking.

He said that the provincial government is evaluating the pros and cons of the proposal to ban smoking at public places and public transport vehicles throughout the province. He asked physicians to inform their patients about the adverse effects of smoking and motivate them to quit it for a healthy life.

Reducing chances of getting oral cancer: The Aga Khan University Hospital Clinical dietitian Moti Khan said that the use of green tea and fresh vegetables reduce the chances of oral cancer that is mainly caused by consuming tobacco, which also is the cause of gall stones. Oral cancer can appear after several years of tobacco usage because initially a lesion forms, which is generally neglected, and after many years it develops into cancer. app

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