“Thank heaven, I have given up smoking again…God! I feel fit.  Homicidal, but fit.  A different man.  Irritable, moody, depressed, rude, nervy, perhaps; but the lungs are fine.”

Well said by A. P. Herbert as giving up on smoking seems impossible. There is already much heard and said on smoking. But one always reads to make a decision of not smoking, and as the craving arises again he resumes back to that one puff with a little guilt this time, which very soon vanishes with the second puff.

Smoking is just one form of tobacco consumption. Other forms include quid and snuff. Tobacco usage caused 100 million deaths in the 20th century and if the current trends continue, there could be up to one billion deaths in the 21st century. By 2030, more than 80% of tobacco related deaths will occur in the developing world unless urgent action is taken.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death globally, which causes more than five million deaths a year. So this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has selected “Tobacco Health Warnings” as the theme on the World No Tobacco Day, which is on 31^st May 2009. WHO particularly approves of tobacco health warnings, which will contain both pictures and words as they are the most effective at convincing people to quit. Such pictorial warnings on the tobacco products cut across the linguistic and cultural barriers, and therefore, are intended to increase the public awareness on the deadly health effects of tobacco consumption.

Some true facts related to tobacco consumption are as follows…

• Tobacco is responsible for about 30% of all cancer deaths in the developed countries
• According to Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), India records about 8,00,000 tobacco deaths every year with 2,200 deaths per day
• Tobacco in various forms of its usage (e.g: smoking, chewing, etc.) is the major environmental cause of cancers of the lung, larynx, mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, bladder, pancreas, and probably, kidney
• Tobacco is smoked in the form of manufactured cigarettes or in indigenous forms like bidi, cigar, chilum and hookah
• Tobacco in powered form is inhaled as snuff
• The most common form of tobacco chewing in India is the betel quid (tambaku paan) which usually contains betel leaf, arecanut, lime and tobacco. The flakes of sun dried tobacco and slaked lime is rubbed in the palm of the hand and the mixture is then put into the mouth in small amounts and frequent intervals during the day and slowly sucked and swallowed after dilution with saliva
• The oral cancer is usually occurs on the side of the mouth were the tobacco quid was kept and the risk is higher if the quid was kept in the mouth during sleep
• Gutka is a preparation of crushed betel nut, tobacco, catechu, lime and sweet or savory flavorings. It is highly addictive and a known carcinogen. It is consumed much like chewing tobacco and it is considered responsible for oral cancer and other severe negative health effects
• People who chew nass or nasswar– a mixture of tobacco, ashes, lime and cotton seed oil are more prone to get oral cancer (Also known as snuff dipping)
• Some places people have the habit of reverse smoking of cigar with the burning end inside the mouth. This is known to cause cancer of the hard palate
• The total burden of lung cancer in any country is directly related to the amount and duration of cigarette smoking
• Other ill effects of tobacco consumption are diseases like stroke, myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm and peptic ulcer
• Large direct, indirect and intangible costs associated with tobacco hamper economic development rather than promote it

The temporary gratification you get after indulging in tobacco addiction will render you with permanent agony. Why put your precious life in jeopardy by surrendering yourself to this addiction? Now is the time to give up on this obnoxious dependency. So all dear readers – Wake Up To Give Up On Tobacco Consumption!

Related posts:

1. Tobacco Health Warnings
2. Tobacco in any form is a one way ticket to hell
3. SMOKING – A Suicide & A Homicide
4. Stop painting the town red!
5. Cancer Can Be Prevented Too

Tags: Aneurysm, Betel Quid, Cancer, Cigarettes, Cigars, Myocardial Infarction, Peptic Ulcer, Smoking, Snuff, Snuff Dipping, Stroke, Tobacco, Tobacco Health Warnings, WHO, World No Tobacco Day

Share with Friends