Mohsin Siddiqui (Chief Reporter)

Health advocates have reiterated the critical necessity of increasing tobacco taxes, with a specific focus on cigarettes, to combat smoking and support vital public services such as healthcare.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Malik Imran Ahmed, the Country Head of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), highlighted the effectiveness of policymakers in reducing tobacco consumption through annual increments in cigarette taxes, gradually making them less affordable over time.

Ahmed underscored the pivotal role of high cigarette taxes in dissuading smoking, particularly among youth and individuals with lower incomes.

Moreover, Ahmed shed light on the substantial economic burden of smoking in Pakistan, amounting to Rs615.07 billion (US$3.85 billion), equivalent to 1.6% of the country’s GDP. Notably, the economic costs of smoking exceed the revenues generated by the tobacco industry.

Citing data from an international survey, Ahmed pointed out that the cumulative annual economic costs attributed to smoking-related diseases and deaths, alongside those associated with the three primary non-communicable diseases, collectively represent 1.6% and 1.15% of Pakistan’s GDP, respectively.

This alarming trend underscores the immediate necessity for the implementation of yearly increments in cigarette taxes. Such measures are crucial to alleviate the strain on Pakistan’s GDP, warranting prompt action from the government.