Harsh Facts about Tobacco, the Fatal Killer
- Tobacco is currently responsible for killing 1 in 10 adults worldwide.
- It kills nearly 6 million people each year, i.e. 1 person in every 6 seconds.
- more than 6 lakhs are non-smokers dying from breathing second hand smoke.
- 28% of these 6 lakh deaths due to second hand smoke are children, dying prematurely due to no fault of theirs.
- More than 80% of these deaths are amongst people living in low and middle income countries.
- 20% of all male deaths and 5 % of all female deaths among Indians in the age group between 30-69 years is due to tobacco.
- Up to half of current users will eventually die of tobacco related diseases.
- It causes cancer of lungs, oesophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, tongue, lips, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, cervix and breast and even blood cancer i.e. acute myeloid leukaemia.
- Tobacco related cancers constitute half of all cancers in men and one- fifth of all cancers in women.
- Total economic costs attributable to tobacco related diseases in India in 2011 amounted to Rs 1,04,500 crores – 12% more than the combined state & central Govt. Expenditure on health care the same year.
- India has 12 crore tobacco users out of which 10 lakh will die every year
What Teenagers should know about Tobacco
- A paediatric study has shown that non-smoking teens when shown tobacco ads on a regular basis got induced into smoking to the tune of 13%
- About 5,500 youth and children,as young as 8 years old, initiate tobacco use daily.
- Tobacco smoke has 4000 chemicals out of which at least 250 are known to be harmful and more than 50 are known to cause cancer.
- Hookah smoking is equally dangerous, one session of a mere few hours can deliver smoke equivalent to 100 cigarettes in your lungs.
- Bollywood on screen smoking scenes have a huge influence on school students encouraging them towards tobacco consumption.
- Children working in tobacco farming are prone to ‘green tobacco sickness’ a deadly disease
- Tobacco in any form cigarette, cigar bidi, gutka , snuff, jarda,hookah is harmful.
- Bidi alone is responsible for 6 lakh deaths every year in 2004.
- Differential pricing and high excise duty has given rise to contraband trade of tobacco of up to rs 1900 crores from neighbouring countries. Almost 60 million cigarette sticks in Mumbai and 35 million in Delhi are smuggled into the cities every year.
- In 90% cases nicotine addiction leads to other addictions in the form of alcohol, marijuana and drugs.
Diseases and Life Style Problems due to Tobacco
- It is a major cause of heart attacks and strokes of brain leading to lifelong paralysis
- It also exacerbates bronchitis and emphysema.
- It leads to gangrene of lower limbs resulting in amputation of legs.
- It causes early wrinkling of skin causing it to sag, yellowing of teeth, deformed nails and brittleness of hair.
- It causes weakening of bones leading to unnecessary fractures, early cataract,
- It leads to infertility in both males and females, inability to bear children, still born and premature as well as low birth weight babies
Important New Evidence about Cancer & Related Diseases in non-smokers
- New evidence is pointing towards third hand smoke. This means anyone smoking in a closed environment leaves enough harmful particulates which can later produce enough toxins to cause often fatal harm to anyone entering the same environment even after 6-8 hours
- Conversely, a smoker carries the same particulates in his/her clothes to the new environment eg from office to home and ends up harming the non- smokers viz their own children even though they were not directly exposed
- This evidence is proof for non- smoking people and children getting harmful and fatal diseases
- All political parties have accepted donations from ITC, a leading tobacco brand to the tune of crores in the last couple of years. Having done that how can they pass legislation harmful to tobacco industry
- 8 states including Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa have prohibited tobacco then why not Delhi ( the government has banned only smokeless tobacco)
- Policy implementation is important – A law exists banning sale of tobacco within 500 yards of any educational institution in Delhi as well as prohibiting sale of tobacco products to any minor below 18 years. Implementation of this policy would change the scenario
- The committee of MPs formed by government to look into increasing pictorial warnings on bidi and tobacco pack is meeting only tobacco and bidi industry people and no representatives from health care
Motivation to Quit
- Get a specific reason to quit; your spouse, kids, parents, or about the money you will save or health benefits and Now 3rd Hand Smoke
- Visit smoking cessation clinic- discuss your problem with professionals and stay connected
- Doing Yoga, strength training, and walking builds your mental stamina and helps stay focussed
- Drinking adequate water at the time of craving will help defeat your addiction
- Believe in yourself and start thinking that you are a non-smoker
- Nicotine replacement therapy with supplements like gums, skin patches and medication can help.
- Although, nicotine withdrawal symptoms are very strong, they are short lived
- One has to stay away from long term craving
- Interesting idea, wrap a tissue around the cigarette, the black residue around the tissue is what is lining your lungs
- Surround yourself with likeminded people it will help strengthen your resolve
- SAY NO TO TOBACCO AND YES TO LIFE