Islamabad: Rising tobacco and nicotine use among Pakistan’s youth, especially around educational institutions, emerged as the central concern at a national review session on tobacco control held by the Aurat Foundation in Islamabad.
Participants from Parliament, government departments, health organizations, and civil society warned that easy availability of cigarettes, vapes, nicotine pouches, and flavored tobacco near schools is creating a growing public health threat. The discussion also pointed to a noticeable increase in tobacco use among women, indicating a shifting trend.
The session called for stronger legislation, faster policy action, and strict enforcement to counter the rapid spread of emerging nicotine products. Speakers emphasized that existing laws remain poorly implemented due to procedural delays, weak monitoring, and limited coordination between federal and provincial bodies.
The need for clear parental awareness, community engagement, and better recognition of new nicotine products was highlighted as an essential part of early prevention. Officials noted that families and schools often remain unaware of modern products marketed to young people.
Technical briefings identified major enforcement gaps and policy loopholes that allow the tobacco industry to expand its reach. Participants noted that companies are increasingly using social media trends, entertainment content, and youth-focused marketing to promote vaping in urban areas.
Government representatives reaffirmed ongoing federal efforts to implement the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002 and to tighten regulations where required. Provincial representatives also announced plans to introduce new resolutions to strengthen tobacco control.
Education sector officials raised alarms over the rise of nicotine products around private institutions and called for tougher regulatory checks. Regulatory authorities stressed the need for a broader social movement to counter tobacco use nationwide.
Closing the event, the Aurat Foundation reiterated its commitment to evidence-based advocacy, cross-sector collaboration, and long-term public awareness initiatives aimed at building a healthier, tobacco-free society.BEIJING: Death toll from coronavirus outbreak in China reached 2,835, by 47 from the previous day. Hubei province reported 45 new deaths, while in provincial capital Wuhan 37 people died.
The new infections on Friday bring the total accumulated number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 79,251.
As new daily infections in China slow, the government has urged businesses and factories in regions that are considered low-risk to resume production and safeguard jobs.
Seventeen provinces, regions and municipalities have lowered their emergency response level so far, including big coastal provinces such as Guangdong and Jiangsu.
Beijing and Shanghai have yet to downgrade their emergency measures from the highest level.
In contrast, the coronavirus continued to expand its footprint around the world, with at least six countries on four continents reporting new cases for the first time.
Mainland China, excluding Hubei province, where the new coronavirus outbreak originated, reported four new cases of infection, the lowest since the national health authority started compiling nationwide data in January.
The central province of Hubei reported 423 new confirmed cases, the National Health Commission said Saturday, up from 318 a day earlier.
That pushed the overall number of new infections on Friday in mainland China to 427, data from the health authority showed.
Of the new cases in Hubei, 420 were reported in the provincial capital of Wuhan, the city hardest-hit by the outbreak.
China has imposed tough measures to contain the pathogen including strict home quarantines, curbs on people and vehicle traffic, and the extension of the Lunar New Year holiday that shuttered businesses and factories.
China’s economy will take a big hit in the first quarter due to work stoppages, but should recover rapidly unless the outbreak worsens again, a Chinese official said.
The International Monetary Fund has said the outbreak will likely lower China’s economic growth by 0.4 percentage point this year to 5.6 percent and shave 0.1 percentage point from global growth.
South Korea, one of the worst-hit places outside of China, reported 594 new cases, raising the country’s total infections to 2,931.
The risk of a global spread and impact of the coronavirus is now “very high,” the highest level of alarm, the World Health Organization said.
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