KICK THE BUTT !

Tobacco consumption continues to be one of  the leading causes of death in the world. As research and findings continue to show the negative effects of tobacco consumption on health, the number of affected people increases, especially in India

The psychological effects of smoking are indeed “devastating”. Once the puffing habit has been established, the smoker needs to continue the habit in order to feel “normal.” In other words, the dependence produced by nicotine, and the behaviors associated with inhaling it, become necessary to maintain the person’s optimal state of well-being.

This includes both psychological and physiological reinforcements which are constantly needed. The smoker then actually becomes accustomed to having a level of nicotine in the body. In fact, research studies have shown that sub consciously smokers regulate the number of cigarettes they smoke in order to maintain their own personally preferred level of nicotine.It varies from individual to individual.

 The usage of tobacco is an activity that is practiced by some 1.1 billion people, and up to 1/3 of the adult population. Smoking is known to have many ill-effects on health and most of us are aware of the dangers of smoking on general health. 

WHO data shows that whilst progress has been made, not a single country fully implements all key tobacco control measures. An outlined approach that governments can adopt to prevent tens of millions of premature deaths by the middle of this century had to be worked out.

Smoking in public places has been banned in India since October 2008. The health officials are caught with the staggering tough task of about an estimated 125 million smokers to stub out their cigarettes! The WHO reports it to be the leading preventable cause of death worldwide and estimates that it currently causes 5.4 million deaths per year. Rates of smoking have leveled off or declined in many countries, however they continue to rise in some developing countries like India,inspite of the ban!

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine said India is in the grip of a smoking epidemic that is likely to cause nearly 1 million deaths a year by 2010. More than half of these deaths would be among the poor and illiterate people, the study said.

What people tend to ignore is the impact of smoking on oral health. We easily associate smoking with lung cancer but another major bad effect of smoking is oral cancer.  India is the largest producer and exporter of tobacco in the World.  The total tobacco production in India is about 700 million kilos annually.

Smoking is known to have many ill-effects on health and most of us are aware of the dangers of smoking on general health. What people tend to ignore is the impact of smoking on oral health. We easily associate smoking with lung cancer but another major bad effect of smoking is oral cancer. Nearly 90% of all Oral Cancer patients are smokers!

India's ban on smoking was opposed by the tobacco companies and hotel industry. Smoking is legally prohibited in public places such as offices, hotels, restaurants and most importantly hospitals.I have seen many continue to smoke in all these places!Who is supposed to punish those who defy the ban?

This wicked tobacco industry has not spared our innocent children too. Each day 55,000 children in India start using tobacco of which almost 5 million children under the age of fifteen are addicted to tobacco. The plus point is the ban has been widened to cover college campuses, discotheques and bars. So,has it worked? Seen the ban being kicked more than the butt!

The public ie;you and me have a prominent role to play in tobacco control.

Eliminating the use of tobacco in various forms (paan, zarda, paan masala) through control programs and public education can go a long way in reducing the incidence of oral cancer.

The effectiveness of this approach has been demonstrated in the west where the incidence of lung cancer has come down drastically in the last decade with heightened public awareness about the effects of smoking.

 In India due to lack of motivation,varied culture, habits and educational levels, an active anti-tobacco policy in addition may be the only way to ensure a ‘no tobacco’ generation.

Has the ban really worked? I have my serious doubts.

It’s not just the time to look for actions and answers but most importantly emphasize enforcement and implementation.

Kick the Butt and not the Ban!