Islamabad: According to the Gallup Pakistan, the inflation-adjusted cost of 20 manufactured cigarettes rose from PKR 120.6 in 2014 to PKR 236.3 in 2024 - a rise of PKR 115.7. Yet average monthly cigarette expenditure among smokers also rose, from PKR 2,263.7 to PKR 3,852.9 - a rise of PKR 1,589.2 in real terms.
According to the Gallup Pakistan Analysis of Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) Data: Pakistan - Economics and Media Cessation, 81.1% of adults in 2024 favor increasing taxes on tobacco products. The cost of 100 packs of cigarettes represents 5.0% of per capita GDP.
The proportion of smokers who noticed health warnings on cigarette packages fell from 77.5% in 2014 to 58.1% in 2024 - a fall of 19.4 percentage points - despite warning coverage being increased from 40% to 60% of the pack between 2018 and 2019.
Among current smokers who noticed health warnings, 20.2% thought about quitting because of them in 2024, down from 29.7% in 2014 - a fall of 9.5 percentage points. Among women smokers, this figure stands at only 9.1%.
Any tobacco advertisements, promotions, or sponsorships were noticed by 30.5% of adults in 2024, down from 38.6% in 2014 - a fall of 8.1 percentage points. Tobacco advertising in stores was noticed by 17.8% overall, but by 32.1% of current tobacco users.
64.3% of students aged 13-15 saw tobacco use on television, in videos, or in movies in 2022 - virtually unchanged from 63.3% in 2013 - while anti-tobacco messages in media reached only 50.7% of students.
Among adults, only 24.1% of current smokers made a quit attempt in the past 12 months in 2024 - statistically unchanged from 24.7% in 2014 - despite 49.9% having been advised to quit by a healthcare provider.
Among ever-daily smokers, only 13.8% had successfully quit by 2024 - 14.9% of men and just 6.8% of women.
Among young smokers aged 13-15 in 2022, 70.6% tried to stop smoking in the past 12 months - up from 58.4% in 2013 - yet only 15.9% had ever received help from a programme or professional, down from 27.0% in 2013.
57.2% of current young smokers show signs of nicotine dependence, yet only 15.9% have ever accessed professional cessation support.