A new national survey has revealed that awareness of electronic cigarettes and vaping remains strikingly low across Pakistan. According to a 2026 Gallup & Gilani Pakistan survey, only 17 percent of adults in the country report that they have heard of vaping, highlighting a significant knowledge gap around the technology.
The findings suggest that despite global discussions around vaping and alternative nicotine products, the concept has yet to meaningfully enter public awareness in Pakistan. For a large majority of the population, vaping remains an unfamiliar term, particularly outside urban and highly educated circles.
One of the most notable aspects of the survey is the sharp divide based on education levels. Among adults with higher education, awareness of vaping rises to 43 percent. In contrast, only 12 percent of respondents with less than an FA-level education reported any familiarity with electronic cigarettes. This 31-point gap underscores how strongly awareness is tied to access to education and information.
The data indicates that vaping is largely perceived as a niche or elite concept rather than a mainstream phenomenon. Individuals with higher education are more likely to encounter information through digital media, international exposure, or academic and professional environments, where discussions around vaping are more common.
On the other hand, lower awareness among less-educated groups reflects broader information access challenges. Traditional tobacco products remain far more familiar to these communities, while newer alternatives such as vaping devices have limited visibility in everyday life.
The survey also points to an urban-rural information divide, though education appears to be the strongest predictor of awareness. In major cities, exposure to global trends, social media, and online advertising has made vaping more recognizable, even if actual usage remains low. Outside these areas, the concept is still largely absent from public discourse.
Public health experts note that low awareness can have mixed implications. On one hand, it suggests that vaping has not yet become widespread, limiting potential public health concerns associated with unregulated use. On the other, it raises questions about preparedness if vaping products become more accessible in the future.
The findings arrive at a time when countries worldwide are debating how to regulate electronic cigarettes. In Pakistan, where awareness itself is limited, policymakers face the challenge of balancing regulation, education, and prevention without widespread public understanding of the issue.
The Gallup & Gilani Pakistan survey provides a snapshot of where the country currently stands. Rather than widespread adoption, vaping remains a marginal topic, known primarily to educated segments of society. This contrasts sharply with trends in many Western and Asian countries, where vaping awareness is nearly universal.
As Pakistan continues to grapple with broader public health challenges related to tobacco use, the survey highlights the need for informed discussions rather than assumptions. Understanding who knows about vaping, and who does not, is a crucial first step in shaping future awareness campaigns or regulatory frameworks.
For now, the data makes one point clear. Vaping is far from a mainstream concept in Pakistan, and awareness remains limited to a small portion of the population, strongly influenced by education and access to information.
