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See the latest information about the status of tobacco policies and facts about the tobacco epidemic in Pakistan:

• Tobacco Policy Status | Tobacco Burden Facts

About 25 million Pakistanis smoke, and 1,200 youth start smoking each day in Pakistan. An estimated 100,000 Pakistanis die annually from tobacco-related illnesses.

Pakistan Tobacco Company, owned by British American Tobacco, dominates the market in the country. Because Pakistan is not a major exporter, most of the 55.3 billion cigarettes that are manufactured in the country each year are consumed by its Pakistani smokers.

Pakistan ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on November 3, 2004.

The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance-2002 went into effect on June 30, 2003. This law enables the health minister to implement any of the following: prohibiting tobacco use in public buildings and transportation, prohibiting tobacco advertising, banning tobacco sale within 50 meters from educational institutions (including colleges), and requiring “no smoking” signs displayed in public places. However, implementation of the ordinance does not appear strong. In 2005, the health minister limited televised tobacco advertisements to allow them to be aired only between 3 and 4 am (previously they were allowed to air between midnight and 6am), but on World No-Tobacco Day 2007 the health minister indicated that he would seek to ban all electronic tobacco advertisements altogether, with restrictions on print and retail advertising.

Cigarette packaging is required to contain a warning that smoking is injurious to health in both English and Urdu.

Sources: ACS, FCA, WHO

Related Information

ACS Tobacco Control Country Profile, Pakistan

The Framework Convention Alliance for Tobacco Control Country Data, Pakistan

Aslam, SM. Tobacco Industry in Pakistan. Ind & Econ. 2000 Jul/Aug; 31.

New restrictions on tobacco ads. DAWN e-paper. 2007 Jun 1. http://www.dawn.com/2007/06/01/nat4.htm.

Gillani, W. No Smoking Day: Tobacco causes 25 major diseases. Daily Times. 2005 Jun 1. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_1-6-2005_pg7_12.

Ahmad, K, et al. Prevalence and predictors of smoking in Pakistan: Results of the National Health Survey of Pakistan. Eur J Card Prev Rehab. 2005; 12:203-208.

Nasir, K & Rehan, N, Epidemiology of cigarette smoking in Pakistan. Addiction. 2001; 96:1847-1854.

Iqbal, S. Record rise in cigarette production. DAWN e-paper. 2007 Jul 10. http://www.dawn.com/2007/07/10/ebr1.htm.

Public support for smoking ban urged. Daily Times. 2007 Aug 6. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C08%5C06%5Cstory_6-8...
Ians.

Pakistan bans tobacco ads – almost. Indian Muslims. 2007 Jun 1. http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/jun/01/pakistan_bans_tobacco_ads....

New restrictions on tobacco ads. DAWN e-paper. 2007 Jun 1. http://www.dawn.com/2007/06/01/nat4.htm.

Tobacco ads on television banned. Daily Times. 2007 Jun 1. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C06%5C01%5Cstory_1-6....

Relevant Law

The Cigarettes (Printing of Warning) Ordinance, 1979. Ordinance No.
LXXIII.

The Cigarettes (Printing of Warning) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2002. Ordinance No. LXXV.

Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance, 2002