May 31st is observed as Anti-Tobacco Day or World No Tobacco Day globally. The World Health Organization created World No-Tobacco Day in 1987 to raise awareness about the ill-effects of tobacco on health and the preventable death and disease it causes.
Tobacco consumption has been linked to a variety of conditions, each more hazardous than the others. Smoking or eating tobacco remains to be the major cause of death and diseases. It affects the entire body from head to toe. Tobacco use causes hearing loss, yellowing of the conjunctiva and early cataract. In addition, teeth decay, gums get diseased and the breath smells foul. Smoking also turns hair prematurely grey, amplifies the incidence of stroke and accelerates dementia. There are recurrent attacks of cough and cold and eventually leads to chronic bronchitis, emphysema and respiratory failure, as per experts. Hypertension is aggravated, and heart attacks are more common. Apart from it, male tobacco users are 50 per cent more likely to have impotence.
The health experts insist that it is imperative to quit when there’s still time or else it may create unnecessary complications pertaining to health.
Tobacco use is a major public health concern as well as causes significant financial costs. A World Health Organization survey found that the financial burden of tobacco-use in India stood at one per cent of its GDP. Besides the diseases and economy, the collateral damage of smoking ought to be far higher than anticipated. It is not only that direct smokers are affected. As per a recent study, secondary smoke exposure in India leads to direct annual healthcare costs that run in billions.
The data about use and ill-effects raise questions about the efficacy of the deterrents in place and among others includes mandatory 85 per cent of the surface area of cigarette packets must contain graphically statutory warning.
Habitual smoking can lead to cancer. It can cause dysplasia, which is precancerous changes to the vocal cords. Cancer itself can also affect the oropharynx and the larynx .
Of all the countries, India has the highest proportion of oral cancer patients among young adults.
Behavioural science says that people sometimes make decisions because they are manipulated by the information available to them. Public awareness programmes must be formulated to sensitize smokers to the risks they pose to themselves and those exposed due to secondary smoking.
Every user must understand that tobacco, whether smoked, sniffed, eaten or vaped, eventually kills through myriad diseases.
