title: Impact of tobacco health warnings on smokers in Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To see the impact of health warnings cigarette packets on the smoking habits of smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional study was conducted in Karachi from July to October 2014, and comprised adult male cigarettes smokers. A self-administered questionnaire was presented to the participants who were selected through non-probability convenience sampling irrespective of their educational background. Data was analyzed using SPSS 17.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 1500 subjects, 1330(88.7%) noticed warning on cigarette packets; 730(54.8%) considered the picture to have significant impact; 630(47.3%) tried to decrease smoking; and 430(32.4%) actually attempted to quit. Of the 430 who tried to quit, 300(69.7%) considered the picture as having had an impact.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current health warnings on cigarette packets sold in Pakistan do not carry a significant deterrent impact.
authors.affiliation: Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahsan
authors.affiliation: Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Institute, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.affiliation: Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Institute, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Memoona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jawed
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Ziauddin University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sohail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.affiliation: Student, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haseeb
authors.affiliation: Student, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bilal
authors.affiliation: Dr. Ziauddin Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Afia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan; D011356:Product Labeling; D012907:Smoking; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062789:Tobacco Products; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Health warnings, Tobacco, Cigarette packet.