Pakistan wins WHO prize in recognition of contribution to tobacco control

The World Health Organization (WHO) has awarded the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2026 award to Pakistan in recognition of the country’s outstanding contribution to tobacco control.

According to the WHO statement, the award was given jointly to the Tobacco Control Cell of Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and Dr. Waseem Iftikhar Janjua, Senior Research Fellow at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

The WNTD Award is presented annually to individuals or organizations from each of the six WHO regions in recognition of their outstanding contribution to tobacco control.

The statement further added that Pakistan successfully reduced tobacco consumption by 15.7% between 2014 and 2024 due to measures implemented to meet its international obligations under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), according to new findings from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2024 led by the Government of Pakistan and the CDC Foundation in partnership with the WHO Foundation.

“Tobacco products are still consumed by 16.1% of Pakistan’s population aged 15 and over. As a result, each year tobacco continues to cause nearly 164,000 deaths and economic losses of over 1.8 trillion Pakistani rupees (about US$6.6 billion).”

It said the GATS 2024 results were presented – under the leadership of Health Minister Mustafa Kamal – as part of the extended celebrations of the WNTD and the international campaign launched by the WHO under the theme “Unmask the Appeal – Countering Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction.”

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The study followed a science-based global standard protocol for systematic surveillance of adult tobacco use, offering trends over the last decade and a comparison with the 2014 round.

It was carried out by the National Institute of Population Studies Training and Research in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination – through its Tobacco Control Cell – and the WHO. More than 11,000 interviews were conducted with an overall response rate of 95.6%.

Decrease in exposure to passive smoking

Among other encouraging key findings, the GATS 2024 results highlight that – between the previous survey in 2014 and 2024 – exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in Pakistan decreased in all locations measured in both surveys: homes (48.3% to 28.8%), workplaces (69.1% to 69.1% to 35.9%). buildings (77.3% to 54.8%), health facilities (37.6% to 24.5%), restaurants (86.0% to 55.2%), marriage halls (65.7% to 50.3%), public transport (76.2% to 45.4%), universities (44.2% to 55.2%), 1.3% to 1.3% schools (13.5%).

In addition, the study reported a decrease in exposure to tobacco advertising or promotions in stores (from 20.4% to 17.8%) and to any tobacco advertising, promotions or sponsorships (from 38.6% in 2014 to 30.5%).

However, women’s use of tobacco increased slightly by 1.7%, with 5.9% of women aged 15 and over smoking, and there was a marginal decrease in the percentage of smokers who tried to quit in the past 12 months (from 24.7% to 24.1%) and who were advised to quit when they visited a health care provider (8.9% to 5%).

Important tobacco control measures to prevent major health risks

The findings further added that since 2014, under the umbrella of the WHO FCTC, Pakistan had implemented key policy changes to reduce tobacco use, including a 208% increase in tobacco taxation in the fiscal year 2022-2023; larger pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging; a nationwide ban on the sale of loose cigarettes; the National Strategy for Tobacco Control 2022-2030; and establishment of provincial tobacco control cells and implementation and monitoring committees, among others.

The Secretary of the Ministry of National Health Regulations, Services and Coordination, Muhammad Aslam Ghauri, while addressing the event, said that “this year’s WNTD theme, ‘Unveil the Appeal – Combating Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction’, served as a timely reminder of the evolving tactics used by the tobacco and nicotine industries, which target young tobacco and nicotine industries.”

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“The advent of electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, heated tobacco products and digital advertising platforms has transformed the tobacco epidemic into a more complex public health challenge. The aggressive targeting of young people through flavored products, social media influence and misleading perceptions of safer alternatives requires swift and coordinated policy action,” he said.

Ghauri recalled that Pakistan continued to face a significant burden of tobacco use. “The results of GATS Pakistan 2024 reveal that approximately 22.7 million adults currently use tobacco products in the country. Exposure to second-hand smoke and tobacco advertising remains widespread, especially in public spaces and among younger age groups. Approximately 163,600 Pakistanis die each year from causes of death related to 44.8 days.”

WHO representative in Pakistan, Dr. Luo Dapeng, said: “The GATS 2024 results confirm that together we can protect and save lives thanks to international cooperation and the implementation of specific measures such as taxation and bans on tobacco advertising, which are especially aimed at our children and teenagers.”

“The science is very clear: all tobacco products are killers. WHO will always stand with Pakistan to protect our children and our families from this threat to public health,” he added.