The Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2024 confirms the positive impact of Pakistan’s policies under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Pakistan’s Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2024 was presented on 6 June 2026 by WHO and the Ministry of Health in Islamabad. Photo credit: WHO Pakistan/Hamid Inam
3 June 2026, Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan successfully reduced tobacco consumption by 15.7% between 2014 and 2024 thanks to measures implemented to fulfill its international obligations under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), according to new findings from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2024 led by the Government of Pakistan in partnership with WHO and the CDC Foundation.
However, despite progress, tobacco products are still consumed by 16.1% of the Pakistani population aged 15 and above. As a result, each year, tobacco continues to cause nearly 164,000 deaths and economic losses of over 1,800 billion Pakistani rupees (around US$6.6 billion).
The GATS 2024 results were presented today – under the leadership of Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal– as part of the extended celebrations of World No Tobacco Day and the international campaign launched by WHO under the theme “Unmask the Appeal – Countering Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction.”
Pakistan’s Secretary Health intervention during the presentation of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2024 as part of the celebrations of World No Tobacco Day in Islamabad. Photo credit: Hamid Inam/WHO Pakistan.
WHO Representative during the presentation of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2024 as part of the celebrations of World No Tobacco Day in Islamabad. Photo credit: Hamid Inam/WHO Pakistan.
The survey follows a science-based global standard protocol for systematically monitoring adult tobacco use, offering the last decade’s trends and a comparison with the 2014 round. It was conducted by the National Institute of Population Studies Training and Research in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination – through its Tobacco Control Cell – and WHO. More than 11,000 interviews were completed with an overall response rate of 95.6%.
GATS enhances countries’ capacity to design, implement and evaluate tobacco control programs. It also assists countries in fulfilling their international obligations under the WHO FCTC –signed by Pakistan in 2004 – and in generating comparable data within and across countries.
The Secretary of the Ministry of National Health Regulations, Services and Coordination Muhammad Aslam Ghauri, while addressing the event, said that “this year’s WNTD theme, “Unmask the Appeal – Countering Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction,” serves as a timely reminder of the evolving tactics employed by the tobacco and nicotine industries to target young populations and create lifelong addiction. The emergence of electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, heated tobacco products, and digital advertising platforms has transformed the tobacco epidemic into a more complex public health challenge. The aggressive targeting of youth through flavored products, social media influence, and misleading perceptions regarding “safer alternatives” demands urgent and coordinated policy action.”
Secretary Health Muhammad Aslam Ghauri reminded that Pakistan continues to face a significant burden of tobacco use. “The findings of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Pakistan 2024 reveal that approximately 22.7 million adults currently use tobacco products in the country. Exposure to secondhand smoke and tobacco advertising remains widespread, particularly in public spaces and among younger age groups. Approximately 163,600 Pakistanis die each year due to causes related to tobacco, counting for 448 deaths per day.”
“At the same time, the survey findings provide hope and direction. A considerable proportion of tobacco users are considering quitting, and strong public support exists for evidence-based measures such as increasing tobacco taxation, restricting advertising, and strengthening cessation services. The MONHSRC-Government of Pakistan remains fully committed to strengthen the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Let us reaffirm our collective resolve to build a healthier, tobacco-free future for coming generations as it is an investment in Pakistan’s future health, productivity, and prosperity,” said Secretary Health.
“The GATS 2024 results confirm that, together, we can protect and save lives thanks to international cooperation and the implementation of specific measures such as taxation and banning tobacco advertisements that are particularly targeting our children and teenagers,” said WHO’s Representative in Pakistan Dr Luo Dapeng.
“The science is very clear: all tobacco products are killers. WHO will always stand with Pakistan to protect our children and our families from this public health threat.”
Decline in exposure to secondhand smoke
Among other encouraging key findings, the GATS 2024 results underline that –between the previous survey in 2014 and 2024 – the exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in Pakistan decreased in all locations measured in both surveys: homes (48.3% to 28.8%), workplaces (69.1% to 35.9%), government buildings (64.6% to 40.7%), private buildings (77.3% to 54.8%), healthcare facilities (37.6% to 24.5%), restaurants (86.0% to 55.2%), marriage halls (65.7% to 50.3%), public transportation (76.2% to 45.4%), universities (44.2% to 33.3%), and schools (25.1% to 11.5%).
Furthermore, the survey reports a decrease in exposure to tobacco advertising or promotions in stores (from 20.4% to 17.8%) and to any tobacco advertisements, promotions or sponsorships (from 38.6% in 2014 to 30.5%).
However, female consumption of tobacco increased slightly by 1.7% – with 5.9% of women aged 15 and above smoking – and there was a marginal decrease in the percentages of smokers who made a quit attempt in the past 12 months (from 24.7% to 24.1%) and who were advised to quit when visiting a health-care provider (from 51.8% to 49.9%).
