RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT

SMOKING AS A SOCIAL ISSUE AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO

OVERCOME THE ISSUE

Scholar Name: Mahnoor Ahmad

Student’s Registration Number: M.phil – 10-F23-Ling-34
Program: Mphil Linguistics
Research Assignment submitted to Sir Mujahid for the subject Sociolinguistics

MPHIL ENGLISH
FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES
ABDUL WALI KHAN UNIVERSITY MARDAN
Topic:

Smoking as a social issue and possible solutions to overcome the issue

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Statement of the problem

1.2 Research objectives

1.3 Research Questions

1.4 Significance of the study

1.5 Limitation of the study

CHAPTER TWO

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPTER THREE

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design

3.2 Population and sample of the study

CHAPTER FOUR

4. DATA ANALYSIS

4.1 DISCUSSION

4.2 possible solutions to the problem

1
CHAPTER FIVE

5. CONCLUSION

6. REFERENCES

2
 ABSTRACT

Smoking remains a major player in morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is a matter of immense public health
importance as single leading cause of preventable deaths. The aim of the study was to find out the different
reasons which lead a person to smoke. Method: In this study. The technique of purposive sampling was used.
In which some specific areas of Charsadda were selected as a sample. The data was collected through
interviews. The total number of smokers interviewed was 90. They were asked different questions. Among
these, 30 were between the age of 20-25, 30 were between the age 25-30, while the rest were at the age of 30
above. And the data collected was analyzed through percentage method. Results: The results showed that
smoking is predominantly more prevalent among young generation however a significant number of old people
are also reported to be active smokers. Adolescents were found to be most vulnerable population to pick up the
habit of smoking. Beside this the results showed that one of the major factors which resulted in greater number
of smokers was the friends circle.

Key words: Cigarette smoking, social issue, morbidity, tobacco related illness, nicotine dependency.

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background

Smoking is the practice of combustion and inhalation of tobacco (or other recreational drugs). Its history can be
traced back to 5000 BC. But nowadays, it's a big problem for public health and the number one reason for
deaths that we could have prevented.

When you smoke, you put yourself at a big risk of getting sick with non-communicable diseases like
heart problems, strokes, and long-lasting diseases like clogged arteries, high blood pressure, and lung issues
(COPD). Smoking can also lead to different types of cancer, like lung, mouth, throat, pancreas, and bladder
cancer.

Cigarettes available in developing nations are typically characterized by their substandard quality and
elevated tar content, rendering them exceptionally detrimental to human health. The World Health Organization
(WHO) reported a staggering 5.4 million deaths globally in 2004 that could be attributed to tobacco usage.
Additionally, smoking undermines the body's immunity, diminishing its capacity to combat diseases,
consequently rendering smokers more vulnerable to opportunistic infections. This weakened immune response
also tends to exacerbate the complications of common communicable diseases such as viral influenza in
individuals who smoke. This fact has importance in smokers undergoing surgical procedures as they suffer from
poor post-operative wound healing and increased chance of superficial surgical site infections (SSSI).

Statistics show that there are an estimated 1.1 billion smokers worldwide (Lakhani, 2013). Among these
figures, 150 million represent adolescents. The situation appears equally bleak in both developed and
developing nations, with Asia accounting for half of the 100,000 new young smokers (Valliani, 2013). Pakistan
shares similarities with other Asian countries, and research has shown that approximately 15% of Pakistani
college students engage in smoking, with nearly 1,200 young individuals taking up smoking daily. There
appears to be a pressing need to pinpoint the factors that play a role in the widespread prevalence of unhealthy
behaviors. While the smoking habits of parents and family members have been recognized as potential risk
factors for adolescent smoking, there is compelling evidence that underscores a more significant connection

4
between adolescent smoking and the smoking habits of their close friends. Studies conducted in the United
States have also highlighted additional risk factors, such as strained parent-child relationships, diminished self-
assurance and self-esteem, subpar academic achievements, emotional distress, depressive tendencies, and a
deficiency in social and religious accountability.

Deviant behavior can also emerge when there is insufficient supervision, limited constraints, and ready
availability of tobacco. In such situations, if these factors are not addressed, they can result in a significant
increase in adult smoking and serve as a major obstacle to breaking the addiction. Research conducted in
African regions has revealed that adolescents face a significant risk of developing nicotine dependence shortly
after initiating smoking.

Despite the growing emphasis on discouraging smoking, there is a scarcity of data regarding the local
factors, attitudes, and behaviors in low-income countries. Pakistan, ranked as the 10th largest producer of
tobacco, underscores the need for greater focus on investigating the views and habits of adolescents concerning
smoking. Additionally, it's worth noting that there has been no research conducted to date on the issue of
teenage nicotine dependence in Pakistan. The prevalence of smoking in Pakistan is notably elevated, with
20.3% of adults consuming tobacco products on a daily basis. Furthermore, Pakistan confronts a significant
issue of high smoking rates among young individuals aged 10-14. Specifically, 10.7% of the youth population
in Pakistan is active smokers, and a concerning statistic reveals that two out of five smokers in this category
commenced smoking before they even reached the age of 10.

Annually, the comprehensive economic burden of smoking in Pakistan, encompassing direct expenses
tied to healthcare outlays, the costs of managing tobacco-related illnesses, and indirect costs, exceeds 143
billion rupees (equivalent to 891 million USD).

The objective of this current research was to determine the prevalence of smoking and its related factors
in young aged 20-30 years, as well as to assess their levels of nicotine dependence in two rural districts of
Pakistan.

Cigarette smoking persists as a significant contributor to poor health and premature death in the United
States. Even though there has been a substantial decrease in smoking rates over the past thirty years, partly due
to regulations limiting smoking in various locations, more than 15% of American adults still engage in cigarette

5
smoking. It's worth noting that the health consequences of smoking lead to the loss of nearly 500,000 lives
annually. (Jamal, 2018)

Smoking rates are notably higher in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities (Pampel, 2010). For
instance, more than 60% of smokers possess only a GED, a high school diploma, or less education, and roughly
a quarter of them live below the poverty line (Jamal, 2018). Furthermore, disparities in smoking prevalence
persist across racial and ethnic groups. Approximately 16% of both Black and White individuals smoke, while a
lower proportion, around 10%, of Asians and Hispanics do so. In contrast, a higher percentage of Native
Americans, approximately 32%, engage in smoking (Jamal, 2018).

1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

The problem of this research is to evaluate the social issue of smoking in teenagers and to find out the ways to
eradicate this evil from Pakistan. Smoking remains a major player in morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is a
matter of immense public health importance as a single leading cause of preventable deaths. This study aims to
assess smoking practices that prevail across Pakistan & attitude of people towards this issue. There are many
studies conducted on this issue of smoking but this research mainly focuses on the smoking issue in teenage at
district Charsadda.

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH:

The current study has the following objectives

To find out the different reasons which compel the young generation to smoke.

To explore the different regions where young- age smokers are in greater numbers.

To find out the different ways to prevent society from this social evil.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

What are the reasons of greater number of smokers in Pakistan?

What are the effects of smoking?

What are the possible ways to overcome the smoking rate in Pakistan?
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1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The research study is important and noteworthy on many grounds. As we know cigarette smoking is a major
social issue and we need to eradicate this issue from its root level. For this purpose, conducting this research is
significant because we need to know about the different areas where this issue is at its peak and only then we
can present some possible solutions to eradicate it.

1.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The current research study will be restricted to only a few areas due to financial and time constraints as well as
the scope of the study. We have limited our research related to smoking only to Pakistan, although it is a social
issue present throughout the world but due to very short time, we have limited our study to Pakistan, and then in
Pakistan, we selected Charsadda city, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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 CHAPTER TWO

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

The ill-effects of smoking on health not only concern the smoker but the entire population living in the
same society and sharing the economy. The main problem in weaning from smoking is related to the
origin of smoking which is in large measure unknown. Because of this reason, many studies are being
conducted to highlight this issue and to find out ways to eradicate it.

A research study was conducted by Siddiqui in 2015, regarding an overview of smoking

practices in Pakistan. The study aimed to examine smoking habits prevalent throughout Pakistan and
the attitude of people towards the issue. The findings of this research were that smoking was dominant
in males however a number of females were also reported to be active smokers. The population of
adolescents was more susceptible to the habit of smoking (Shah & Siddiqui, 2015). Data from the
Monitoring the Future project also demonstrate that there was an increase in the prevalence of cigarette
smoking among college students in the late 1990s.

Between 1993 and 1999, the rate of cigarette smoking within a 30-day period increased by 25%
among college students who were 1 to 4 years beyond high school, and it rose by approximately 21% for
young adults aged 19 to 24 who were not enrolled in college. While data from the year 2000-01 indicate
a reduction in smoking rates among both college students and young adults not enrolled in school, these
ongoing trends are still a cause for concern. Currently, it is estimated that there are around 11 million
smokers aged 19 to 25 in the United States.

A research study was conducted by Sami, Noorani, Lakhani, Ghouse and Valliani (2013) in
which they tried to find out the smoking prevalence and associated factors among in-school and out-of-
school adolescents and their nicotine dependence. In this study, a population of 1014 adolescents was
taken as sample, aged 12-18 years living in two rural districts of Sindh and Punjab. The results of the
study showed that overall smoking prevalence among the 1014 adolescents was 15.2%, Of these, 50%
were moderately nicotine dependent. However, the prevalence among in-school adolescents (14.6%)
was not significantly different from out-of-school adolescents. The factors related with adolescents'
smoking were illiterate parents, friend's smoking, father's smoking and nuclear family setup.
8
 West (2017) conducted a study in which he reviewed the extent and nature of harms caused by
smoking, the benefits of stopping, patterns of smoking, psychological, pharmacological and social
factors that contribute to uptake and maintenance of smoking. According to West (2017), smoking
habits persist mainly due to the quick and appealing delivery of nicotine's positive and negative
reinforcement, at an affordable cost. The potential long-term health risks, while acknowledged, are often
viewed as too distant and uncertain to generate immediate concern significant enough to discourage the
behavior.

According to World Health Organization (2003), the number of deaths that occur because of smoking is
approximately 5 million. It is expected that tobacco will be responsible for approximately 10 million annual
fatalities by 2030, establishing it as the primary global contributor to mortality (Jha and Chaloupka, 1999).
Roughly half of these deaths are expected to occur in middle age (age 35-59), and those killed in middle ages
will lose, on average, more than 20 years of non-smoker life expectancy (Peto and Lopez, 2001). Individuals
who smoke are at an increased risk of experiencing a diminished health-related quality of life compared to non-
smokers, primarily because of conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma (Samet,
2001). This susceptibility to other illness such as tuberculosis appears to be greater than non-smokers
(Gajalakshmi, 2003). Wesseling, G and Creutzberg (2007) in their research coined that Smoking is one of the
significant way of life factors impacting the strength of people. Deep rooted cigarette smokers have a higher
predominance of normal sicknesses like atherosclerosis and COPD with huge fundamental effect. The current
audit assesses current information concerning potential pathways through which cigarette smoking can
influence human wellbeing, with unique spotlight on extra aspiratory impacts. Long haul smoke openness can
bring about fundamental oxidants-cancer prevention agents irregularity as reflected by expanded results of lipid
peroxidation and drained degrees of cancer prevention agents like nutrients An and C in plasma of smokers. A
poor quality fundamental fiery reaction is obvious in smokers as affirmed by various populace based
examinations: raised degrees of C-receptive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and interleukin-6, as well as expanded
counts of WBC have been accounted for. Moreover, rheological, coagulation and endothelial capability markers
like hematocrit, blood as well as plasma thickness, fibrin d-dimer, circling grip particles (intracellular bond
atom 1, choices), tissue plasminogen activator antigen, and plasminogen activator inhibitor type I are adjusted
in constant cigarette smokers. Albeit the greater part of smoking-actuated changes are reversible in the wake of
stopping, a few fiery middle people like CRP are still fundamentally brought up in ex-smokers up to 10 to 20

9
years subsequent to stopping, recommending progressing second rate provocative reaction enduring in previous
smokers. New longitudinal epidemiologic and hereditary examinations are expected to assess the job of
smoking itself and conceivable quality/climate transaction in commencement and advancement of smoking-
actuated normal sicknesses influencing people.

Juvva, S. and et.al in their journal said that Smoking is the preventable gamble factor for some
non - transferable illnesses like COPD, atherosclerotic sicknesses, stroke and numerous malignancies.
Numerous smokers smoke their first cigarette at early age because of different social variables. A
significant number of the smokers don’t have the foggiest idea about the hurtful impacts of the smoking
on individual frameworks. Techniques: Forthcoming review led on 102 smokers taking care of short
term branch of the Public authority fever emergency clinic, Guntur. They were studied about their
smoking inclinations. Subsequent to taking the starter subtleties they are enquired about the degree of
familiarity with destructive impacts of smoking. RESULT: The greater part the individuals (n=56,
54.90%) smoke in their homes. They have hardly any familiarity with impact of recycled smoke on the
wellbeing of the individuals. Just couple of individuals know the inconvenience of the smoking like Skin
infections (17, 16.66%), Cerebrovascular mishaps (26, 25.49%) and endocrine confusions including
diabetes (n=2, 1.8%). The majority of subjects know chance of Carcinomas (92, 90.19%),
Cardiovascular sicknesses (34, 33.33%) and Respiratory illnesses (85, 83.33%). Individuals keep
smoking notwithstanding consciousness of difficulties of smoking due their enslavement.

Ends: Fresher strategies ought to rise towards teaching individuals about the specific effect of
smoking on wellbeing.

Strategies ought to focus on the more youthful individuals that ought to quit smoking their first
cigarette or beedi.

Caporaso, N and Bergen, W, A. In their research highlight that Cigarette smoking is the biggest
preventable gamble factor for bleakness and mortality in created nations.

Emotional changes in the pervasiveness of cigarette smoking in the last part of hundred years in the US (i.e., a
decrease among men and an increment among ladies) have diminished ebb and flow smoking levels to roughly
one fourth of the grown-up populace and have decreased contrasts in smoking commonness and smoking-

10
inferable illnesses between the genders. Current smoking in the US is emphatically connected with more
youthful age, lower pay, decreased instructive accomplishment, and hindered neighborhood climate. Day to day
smokers smoke cigarettes to keep up with nicotine levels in the cerebrum, principally to stay away from the
adverse consequences of nicotine withdrawal, yet additional tweak state of mind. Customary smokers show
higher and lower levels of pressure and excitement, individually, than nonsmokers, as well as higher impulsivity
and neuroticism attribute values. Nicotine reliance is the absolute most normal mental conclusion in the US, and
substance misuse, significant gloom, and uneasiness problems are the most common mental comorbid
conditions related with nicotine reliance. Concentrates on in twins have embroiled hereditary elements that
clarify the greater part of the changeability in weakness for smoking and in tirelessness of the smoking
aggregate. Future examination into the reasons for smoking should consider these related socioeconomics,
social elements, co morbid mental circumstances, and hereditary variables to figure out this perplexing human
way of behaving.

Fagerstrom, K.(2002) in his research coined that smoking cause a large number of illnesses,
including many source of malignant growth, ongoing obstructive pneumonic infection, coronary illness,
stroke, fringe, vascular sickness, and peptic ulcer infection. Moreover smoking during pregnancy
antagonistically influences fatal and neonatal development and advancement. Ongoing many years have
seen an enormous extension in tobacco use in the creating scene and speeding up development in
smoking among ladies in the created world. Universally, smoking- related mortality is set to ascend
from 3 million every year (1995 gauge) to 10 million every year by 2030, with 70% of these passing
happening in non-industrial nation. A significant number of the unfriendly wellbeing impacts of
smoking are reversible, and smoking and medicine address probably the most financially savvy of all
medical care intercessions. Albeit the best advantage gathers from stopping smoking when youthful, in
any event, stopping in medal age evades a large part of the overabundance medical care risk related with
smoking. To further develop smoking discontinues rates, successful conduct and pharmacological
medicines, combined with proficient directing and exhortation, are required. Since smoking span is the
chief gamble factor for smoking-related dismalness, the treatment objective ought to be early suspension
and counteraction of backslide.

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 CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN

The technique of purposive sampling was used. It was a descriptive study and the data was collected through
interviews. Some specific areas of Charsadda were selected for sample.

3.2 POPULATION AND SAMPLE OF THE STUDY:

To collect the data the population of smokers was interviewed in differ ent ways. Different age groups of
smokers were interviewed such as teenage smokers, old age smokers, and so on. The data collection was limited
to the different areas of Charsadda. Between the age of 15-25, ten smokers were interviewed, between the age
of 25-35. 15 smokers were interviewed as the number of smokers in this age was greater and then between age
35 to 45, 10 smokers were interviewed.

In this survey, they were asked about various things such as their family issues, their kids (if married),
their friends’ circle, and the reasons which lead them to smoke. Although it was a very difficult task to conduct,
as most people mind when asked about their families and their issues and as it is said that with smoking a
person becomes short- tempered.

The questions asked during the interview were as follows

1) How old are you?

2) Are you married or single?
3) How many members are there in your family?
4) Does any of your family member smoke?
5) Are you a chain smoker or an intermittent smoker?
6) How long have you been smoking?
7) Is there any smoker in your friends circle?
8) How did you get that first cigarette?
9) Has anybody forced you for smoking?
10) What were the reasons that compelled you to smoke?
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11) How do you feel about your smoking?
12) Immediately before you smoked that first cigarette, how were you feeling?
13) What if I ask you to quit smoking?
14) Have you tried to give up smoking?
15) What holds you back from trying to stop smoking?

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 CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS
4. RESULTS:

A total number of 90 smokers were interviewed. They were asked different questions and the results were as
follow

How old are you? Below 30 Above 30

55 people (61%) 35 (39%)

Married Single
Are you married or single?
41(45.5%) 49(54%)

How many members are there in More than 5 members Less than 5 members
your family
57(63%) 33(37%)

Does any of your family member Yes No

smoke
43(48%) 47(52%)

Are you a chain smoker or an Chain Smoker Intermittent Smoker

intermittent smoker
62(69%) 28(31%)

14
 How many cigarettes do you Less than 10 More than 10
smoke per day?
35 (39%) 55 (61%)

Do you smoke in your home or At home Outside home

around other people?
21 (23%) 69 (77%)

How old were you when you 20-25 25-30

started smoking?

37 (41%) 53 (59%)

Is there any smoker in your Yes No

friends circle?
79 (88%) 11 (12%)

How did you get the first By myself From somebody else
cigarette?
33 (37%) 57 (63%)

Has anybody forced you for Yes No

smoking?
40 (44%) 50 (55%)

What were the issues that Some issues Just for fun

15
 compelled you to smoke? 48 (53%) 42 (47%)

Do you have any health issue Yes No

since after you started smoking?
56 (62%) 34 (38%)

What is I ask you to quit I will I can’t

smoking?
21 (23%) 69 (77%)

Have you tried to give up Yes No

smoking?
33 (37%) 57 (63%)

What holds you back from trying Different answers

to stop smoking?

So, according to the above results, 61% of the smokers are below the age of 30 which shows that most
smokers are of young, while 39% of the smokers are above the age of 30, which is the bitter reality of our
society that mostly the young generation is involved in smoking.

Among these 90 smokers interviewed, 54% were single while 45.5% were married and the majority of
the smokers have more than 5 members in the family which shows that one of the main reasons for smoking can
be poverty.

When the smokers were asked about their family history and whether there was any smoker present in
the family or not, 48% of the smokers had a family history, while 52% did not have any family history.
16
 Among these 90, 62 smokers were chain smokers who smoke relatively constantly, they finish one
cigarette to light another while 31 % were intermittent smokers who just smoke occasionally. Even the
intermittent smokers were the ones who used to smoke 10 cigarettes per day, which still is a greater number.

When the smokers were asked whether they smoke at home or outside their homes, so majority (97%) of
the smokers answered that their family is not aware of their smoking and that is the reason they smoke outside
their homes and mostly in friend gatherings.

Besides this, the very sad reality about which we came to know during the data collection was that most
people started smoking at a very young age. 41% among them started smoking at the age of 20-25 while 59%
started smoking at the age of 25-30.

During the interview, they were asked if they had friends who smoke in their friends circle so “YES”
was the answer of 88% of them which reflect the fact that the habit of smoking is usually adopted from having
smoker friends in the friend circle.

The smokers were asked if they had any sort of health issues and 56% among them were found with the
health issues and most of the health issues were found to be the cause of smoking. Their opinion about quitting
smoking was taken, just 21% agreed with it while 69% disagreed with the idea of quitting smoking. They were
not in favor of it. 37% of them even tried to quit but they were not able to leave this habit. When they were
asked about the reasons that why they were unable to leave this habit so there were different views from
smokers. Some of them were of the view that quitting smoking led them to severe headaches and body pain.
Others were of the opinion that they become short tempered when they quit smoking. While few of the answers
were that they cannot even imagine living their lives without cigarettes.

4.2. DISCUSSION

Thus it is clearly reflected from the above data that Pakistan is badly grabbed by this fatal habit of smoking
which has destroyed the lives of millions of people. As it is one of the leading risk factor of a number of major
health issues such as lung cancer, asthma and malignancies. It has been reported that up to 87% of the lung
carcinoma are detected in smokers. From our research, we found smoking to be predominantly more prevalent

17
among young generation however a significant number of old age people are also reported to be active smokers.
Beside this one other main factor which resulted in greater number of smokers was the friends circle. Most of
the young age boys are triggered by the friends to start smoking, thus leading to the increase in greater number
of smokers day by day. Adolescents were found to be the most vulnerable population to pick up habit of
smoking. Results from various surveys conducted on this age group demonstrated that 9 – 14% of school
children were regularly involved in this habit. Apart from cigarette smoking, the trend of ‘Shisha’ (water pipe)
smoking is also on the rise in Pakistan. It is perceived to be more socially acceptability and is often linked to
culture. Contrary to popular belief, ‘Shisha’ smoking is more injurious to health compared to cigarettes as it
lacks appropriate filters, resulting in inhalation of toxins in excessive amounts. Akl et al. reported prevalence of
‘Shisha’ use in Pakistan to be 33%. Passive smoking is also one of the major contributors to lung diseases.
Published data states that every year 3000 nonsmokers succumb to complications of passive smoking.

4.3. SOLUTIONS TO THIS SOCIAL ISSUE:

Laws aimed at regulating smoking in public areas have only recently gained significant attention, and
their enforcement remains inadequate. In a survey undertaken by Mal et al., it was found that 11.7% of
passengers in air-conditioned public transportation admitted to smoking while traveling and thereby
subjecting fellow passengers to the effects of cigarette smoke. Similarly, in a study conducted by
Khuwaja and colleagues, it was found that a significant proportion of adolescents were subjected to
secondhand smoke exposure, primarily due to paternal smoking within their households. Advertising
has been a significant contributor to the promotion of smoking, and it is only in recent times that
Pakistan has implemented laws to combat these advertising tactics.

There are many other possible solutions to end up this problem such as to create awareness among the
masses regarding the negative effects of smoking by displaying pictures of complications of smoking (e.g.
patient with oral cancer, those using electronic voice box and patients on ventilators for respiratory support) on
cigarette packs would play an effective role in curbing this habit among high school students.

Beside this, the economics associated with the industry are proving to be major hindrance in tobacco
control. So by increasing the prices of cigarettes there can be an immediate decrease in cigarette use. According

18
to a projection, a mere 10% hike in cigarette prices could lead to an immediate reduction of 4.8%, with the
potential for a long-term decrease of 11.7%.

Adequate measures like anti-smoking education need to be in place to control this problem.

The time has come for Pakistan to wholeheartedly embrace the MPOWER Strategies, with a specific
focus on the essential measures for effective tobacco control. These include rigorous enforcement of smoke-free
regulations, a comprehensive prohibition on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, the adoption of
prominently-sized graphic health warnings on cigarette packaging, the introduction of plain packaging, and the
elevation of tobacco taxes.

WHO’s MPOWER is a package of strategies and interventions to reverse the tobacco epidemic while
using 6 strategies:

• Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies

• Protect people from tobacco smoke

• Offer help to quit tobacco use

• Warn about the dangers of tobacco

• Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship

• Raise taxes on tobacco

The Union has been working in Pakistan to support tobacco control efforts by providing technical assistance to
the government since 2008.

In 2020, The Global Implementation Program launched, aiming to replicate the success of the Tobacco-Smoke
Free Initiative in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city.

In the same way we need to launch such programs in the present time as well to eradicate this issue of smoking.

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 CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION

Thus from the above discussion it is concluded that we need to stop this social issue by any means as it is
spreading rapidly and specially in the young youth and as youth is the strength and future of a country and
smoking plays a vital role in destroying the youth of a country.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

I would recommend that write down that I want to stop smoking. Post it everywhere you spend
time. Put it in the places that are easy to see wherever you go. For example: at work, in the room
etc. Remind yourself of the benefits.

 Getting healthier
 Feeling better
 Saving money which you spend on buying cigarettes
 Try relaxation techniques
 Join an online stop- smoking program.
 Physical activity can help distract you from tobacco cravings.
 Get support of your loved ones. Go and spend time with them.
 Get motivated.
 Lean on your favorite people, tell your family, friends that you are close to that you are
trying to quit smoking.
 You can also join a support group or counselor.
 Sip cold water through straw, it can help replace the act of sucking on a cigarette.
 Eat small meals; it will help you get past the urge to smoke.
 Make a list of savings, look your list as reminder of what you have gained from quitting
smoking.
 Avoid alcohol.

At the end of this, I would recommend that when the urge to smoke strikes, go somewhere you
cannot light up, a movie, a store, or the library. For example: The more distracting the place is,
the easier it will be to ride out cravings of smoking.

20
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