Pakistan Releases Second Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Country Fact Sheets
Date : 03 June 2026
Venue : Islamabad, Pakistan
On June 3, 2026, the Ministry of National Health
Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C), in partnership with the
National Institute of Population Studies Training and Research (NIPS&TR)
and the World Health Organization (WHO), officially published the fact sheets
for the 2024 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS). Marking the second
comprehensive assessment since the baseline 2014 survey, this technical release
tracks nationwide shifts in tobacco use among individuals aged 15 and older.
The statistical data offers a critical evaluation framework for the Government
of Pakistan to optimize domestic demand reduction measures and strengthen
compliance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
The comparative data reveals that overall tobacco
prevalence significantly decreased over the last decade, dropping from 19.1% in
2014 to 16.1% in 2024, driven primarily by a reduction among males from 31.8%
to 25.8%. Active tobacco smoking similarly declined from 12.4% to 9.8%
nationally. Environmental indicators show extensive improvements, with
secondhand smoke exposure falling sharply across multiple settings: dropping
inside homes (48.3% to 28.8%), in workplaces (69.1% to 35.9%), and within
public venues such as restaurants (86.0% to 55.2%) and public transportation
(76.2% to 45.4%).
Conversely, the data highlights policy areas
requiring renewed focus. The percentage of current smokers noticing health
warnings on cigarette packaging fell from 77.5% to 58.1%, while those
considering quitting due to these warnings dropped from 29.7% to 20.2%. On the
economic front, the average cost of 20 manufactured cigarettes effectively
doubled from an inflation-adjusted 120.6 Pakistani rupees in 2014 to 236.3
rupees in 2024, causing the average monthly consumer expenditure on cigarettes
to rise from 2,263.7 to 3,852.9 rupees. Supported by the Bloomberg Initiative
to Reduce Tobacco Use, these findings establish an evidence base to refine
national public health interventions and expand structured cessation programs.
