It was exactly a month ago when one of my
colleagues visited my house.
While conversing, he opened his wallet and
offered me a small leaf. Further, he said; ‘Shall we try it? It
will give you a mesmerizing experience’.
Immediately, my mind travelled to my college
days and the poor fate of my class mate. A brilliant and glamorous member among
our cohort, one day he was tempted by such a situation. That single incident whirled
him into a euphoric world, but he never came back.
All efforts to bring him back were in vain. It
is still vivid in my crystal memory; the hospital veranda and the
gloomy downcast face of his parents.
I whispered, “I am addicted to Life, not
to addictions”.
World No Tobacco Day
It is sad to know that millions of people are
succumbing to this temptation. I happen to see many people argue
vehemently that even if they do not enjoy this habit, they may become a victim
of various other illnesses, without deciphering the truth.
When we observe World No Tobacco Day on 31st May
2016, World Health Organization (WHO) reminds us certain mind blowing facts of
Tobacco.
Key facts
·
Tobacco kills up to
half of its users.
·
Tobacco kills around 6
million people each year.
·
More than 5 million of
those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while more than 600,000 are
the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.
·
Nearly 80% of the
world's 1 billion smokers live in low- and middle-income countries.
Theme of 2016
“Get ready for plain (standardized) packaging
of tobacco products”
The Biggest Public Health Threat
WHO, says that tobacco is an epidemic which is
the leading cause of illness, poverty and death.
Studies invariably prove that there is no safe
level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke as it contains more than
4000 chemicals, of which at least 250 are known to be harmful and more than 50
are known to cause cancer.
In adults, it causes severe cardiovascular and
respiratory diseases and lung cancer and in infants sudden death where as in
pregnant women, second hand smoke leads to low birth weight. WHO, reported that
almost half of the children regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke in
public.
Not Scold but Handhold
If we look at the statistics, it can be
inferred that majority of tobacco users are not aware about the risks
associated and the ways to quit. For instance, smoking is emerging as one
of the major reasons behind vision loss. However, only 10-20% people are aware
of the same.
At the same time, most of the smokers want to
quit. Experiences reveal that counseling and medication can more than double
the chances of success for a smoker who is trying to quit.
No to Tobacco Always
There is hardly a day when our attention is
not being caught on the menace of drug trafficking.
As per the GATS India report, Kerala is having
an overall 21.4% of tobacco users, out of which 13.4% are smokers. The current
level of exposure to second hand smoke of adults is 41.8%.
Recently, in the wake of the Assembly Election
2016, oncologists and public health experts in Kerala jointly called for
all the political parties to include tobacco control as a public health measure
in election manifestos. They cautioned that tobacco is the villain behind 40%
of cancers in Kerala.
Though
the tobacco tax revenue of Kerala is Rs. 315 crore, the actual costs are around
Rs. 1,514 crore a year, according to
reports. It is also reported that ban of liquor has created a high demand
for drugs and also subsequent increase in the availability and the use of
stronger and more dangerous drugs. It is the high time politicians and
social activists deliberate on these matters.
It is a heartening move on the part of the government
to make 85% pictorial health warnings mandatory on both sides of tobacco
products from April 1, 2016. Graphic warnings persuade people to quit.
The experiences of hard-hitting anti-tobacco
advertisements and graphic pack warnings which include pictures show that it has
prevented children from taking to smoking and has made a large number of
smokers to quit.
When you see the smile of your charming kid
and their vibrancy, remember to teach them the ill effects of tobacco. It may begin
as a try for leisure, which can lead your child to eternal gloom.
Ensure that your child has taken the
no tobacco pledge too. Let us be vigilant that none of us and our
family members are in the evil clutch of tobacco.
Published in the Dentcare Magazine, The Dentcare, May Edition (English)
Published in the Dentcare Magazine, The Dentcare, May Edition (English)
