Tobacco smoking in Pakistan

Smoking is legally allowed in Pakistan, and the sale of cigarettes is also permitted. People can purchase cigarettes from vending machines as well as through online means. The legal minimum age for purchasing cigarettes is 18 years. Health warnings on cigarette packaging are required, and a comprehensive ban on all tobacco advertising is enforced. They can be legally imported for trade with a license. Smoking is also subject to legal restrictions in public places such as healthcare and educational facilities. A specific excise rate of 33.64% contributing to a total taxation rate of 51.80% applies to cigarette products.

According to the WHO data, as of 2024, there were approximately 18.3 million smokers in Pakistan. This figure represents an increase from 17.5 million smokers in 2022 and equal number of 18.3 million in 2020. The adult current smoking prevalence rate in 2024 was reported to be 11.6% which shows a slight decrease from 12% in 2022 and 13.1% in 2020. The current smoking prevalence among males in 2024 was 20.6%, a slight reduction from 22.7% in 2020, while among females it was 2.6% in 2023, a slight decrease from 2.7% in 2022. For reference, the adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence in 2014 was 11.5% with 20.1% among males and only 2% among females. There were 14.5 million daily smokers in the same year.

In 2021, tobacco smoking caused 7.59% of all deaths in Pakistan, equating to 130,593 tobacco-related fatalities, including 106,028 male deaths and 24,565 female deaths. Despite a reduction in recent years, these prevalence and mortality statistics underscore the ongoing public health challenge posed by tobacco smoking in Pakistan, informing government strategies aimed at reducing tobacco health impacts.