#Bigtobacco in Pakistan has recently launched a program to create a so-called sustainable ecosystem for their businesses in Pakistan. The tobacco industry’s attempt to camouflage its harmful agenda under the guise of “fake programs” cannot go unchallenged. Let’s unveil the truth behind their deceptive strategy and shed light on the devastating impact of tobacco on our society.

Exposing Their Smoke and Mirrors:

Global Reality: Despite their proclamations that “tomorrow will be better,” the WHO says that worldwide tobacco-caused diseases kill more people, including all HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria deaths combined, making them the leading global cause. Half of all tobacco users do not stop, and they die. An estimated 1.3 million persons annually die as a result of passive smoking. In comparison, more than eight million persons die per annum. This is not the dream for Pakistan that we are looking forward to.

National Crisis: The tobacco industry is a pest in Pakistan that devours the poor populations. As revealed by the Pakistan GATS statistics (2014), more than twenty- three million adults have been noted to consume any form of tobacco. These include one out of ten youths between the ages of 13 to 15 years old. They risk not just their own interests, but also the whole future of the country.

Cigarette Butt Pollution:

Global Impact: In particular, cigarette butt is the most littered article globally. These items constitute around 32 percent of all ocean waste, as per Ocean Conservancy, harming marine life and ecosystems.

Pakistan’s Scenario: Cigarette butt litter remains a severe environmental problem in Pakistan. Many times these cleanup drives find tons of butts dumped, which also lead to polluted waters and soils.-

Toxic Chemicals and Water Pollution:

Global Impact: Smoker’s cigarette butts contain dangerous substances, including nicotine, metallic elements, and plastic filter components. They lead to pollution of aquatic life when they leach into water bodies, thus negatively impacting the ecosystems.

Pakistan’s Scenario: Water pollution in Pakistan is caused by indiscriminate littering of cigarette butts. When these butts leak, their chemicals may end up leaching into the groundwater, and this would affect not only the aquatic environment and its associated ecosystems but also human populations that depend upon such contaminated sources of water.

Deforestation and Tobacco Farming:

Global Impact: Deforestation occurs in tobacco farming as trees are burned down so that they can create space for farming tobacco. Deforestation impacts habitat loss for many organisms and disturbs biodiversity.

Pakistan’s Scenario: Tobacco cultivation poses threats to deforestation in Pakistan. This disturbs the local biomes and leads to poor land conservation, thus affecting the sustainability of agriculture.

Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

Global Impact: Harmful gasses like those released during tobacco curing and processing add to air pollution and climate change.

Pakistan’s Scenario: Tobacco industries result in the emission of air, and as a result, air quality is affected in the cities. People’s health is concerned, as well as the balance of its neighboring ecosystems.

Wildfires and Environmental Damage:

Global Impact: Littering with stubs remains a significant source of the blazes, particularly in areas prone to droughts. It leads to widespread wildfires that burn up a lot of land and contribute to air pollution.

Pakistan’s Scenario: Discards from a cigarette can also cause wildfires that could kill biodiversity and devastate ecosystems.

Statistics:

• The Cigarette Butt Pollution Project indicates that there is a projection of 5 trillion buts discarded annually.
• WHO reports that the annual deforestation caused by tobacco planting amounts to five percent while using up valuable freshwater supplies
• Every year, trillions of cigarette butts end up being littered in the environment, which leaches nicotine and heavy metals, ending as
• Approximately eighty billion cigarette butts are thrown away in Pakistan per year, which adds to waste pollution in the country.

Debunking Their False Promises:

Healthcare Burden: The cost of tobacco-related diseases in Pakistan came up to 615 billion rupees for health expenses only, projected to increase significantly in 2023. The price that our health care system bears because of tobacco-induced diseases is overwhelming, and it affects the lives of tens of millions of families.

Youth Targeting: They have used deceitful marketing tactics aimed at the young people in society. Daily, there are approximately 1,200 Pakistani children between 6 and 15 years old who begin smoking (Tobacco Control Cell Pakistan). This shocking figure highlights how much the industry doesn’t care about coming generations.

Real Sustainability Means Health: True sustainability goes beyond a corporate expansion – it is about people and living conditions: deforestation and poor agriculture

sustainability due to tobacco farming lead to biodiversity loss.

Facts Speak Louder Than Deception:

National Concerns: The case is very alarming in Pakistan! As per statistics from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, about 160,100 individuals succumb to smoking-related ailments. People are affected, which imposes an enormous cost on our healthcare delivery system.

Exposing Deception, Promoting Truth:

Debunking Myths: Because of the tobacco industry, a lot of marketers rely on deceptive or misleading strategies that tempt individuals into addiction. Our communities are armed with facts that are capable of busting the myths. Therefore, it becomes difficult for this fraudulent business to prosper.

Science Over Fiction: Many research projects, such as research undertaken by the American Cancer Society, also clearly demonstrate that the usage of tobacco leads to various dangerous diseases, ranging from lung cancer to cardiovascular problems.

Science is anti-tobacco-industry stories.