95pc of children in Pakistan, Bangladesh exposed to second-hand smoking: study

A study co-authored by researchers from the Department of Community Health Sciences and Medicine at the Aga Khan University (AKU) has revealed an alarming prevalence of second-hand smoking (SHS) exposure among children in Pakistan and Bangladesh, with 95 percent of children affected. SHS occurs when non-smokers inhale the exhaled tobacco fumes from an active smoker, highlighting the pervasive impact of smoking in environments with lax smoking restrictions. Dr Romaina Iqbal and Professor Javaid Khan from AKU Pakistan, noted, “The high exposure of children to SHS in our study contrasts with figures from many developed countries, where only a minority of children are now exposed to such risks.” Prof Kamran Siddiqi from the University of York, UK, and the Chief Investigator of the study, emphasised the importance of advocating for smoke-free homes and cars, as well as enforcing smoking bans in public places, particularly those frequented by children, such as playgrounds, parks, and fairgrounds.