On "World No Tobacco Day 2024", I find myself looking back on my nearly impossible journey from the chains of addiction to the liberation of a life free of smoking. Here's the tale of my quest for quitting what was not only killing me but also those around me. It all started back in 1992, a year burnt into my memory not only for Pakistan's Cricket World Cup victory but also for the insidious influence of a major multinational cigarette manufacturer that sponsored that healthy sporting event.
Back in the day, advertisements gave the impression that every cricketer was a chain smoker, influencing my perception of this injurious habit. By the 1996 Cricket World Cup, which was sponsored by a multinational cigarette producer, I had started smoking, heavily influenced by continuous tobacco advertising on TV and billboards, and in newspapers and magazines. During school and college, I’d spent all my pocket money on cigarettes, stolen from my mother’s purse, borrowed from my friends and even taught young ones to fund my habit.
By the year 2000, I was smoking around 20 cigarettes a day. As a journalist, my habit grew to 30 cigarettes daily, with most of my income turning into smoke and ash due to my nicotine addiction. By 2013, after 17 years of smoking, I realised I had become lazy and irritable.
My health was deteriorating, and I was struggling with daily tasks. I used to smoke before breakfast, multiple times before lunch, and throughout the day and night, ignoring “no smokin.
