Say No to Tobacco and Yes to Life

Every year May 31 is observed as World No Tobacco Day to inspire people to stop smoking. Yet, there is no untold thing that smoking and using tobacco is extremely injurious, not only to one’s health but also to others and the environment.

Today, tobacco is the biggest enemy of public health. There is no exaggeration to make this statement. As we all know, the effects of tobacco use are destructive and widespread. From diseases like cancer, heart strokes, autoimmune disorders, Type 2 diabetes and premature deaths tobacco smoking has grave consequences on one’s health. Environmental concerns are also far too many. From soil and land pollution, deforestation, impact on aquatic life and toxic waste generation through cigarette butts littering are some of the harmful effects of smoking tobacco.

In a recent study almost 30 per cent of the Indian population, in the age group of 15 years and above, use some form of tobacco. Clearly, the most common form of tobacco used worldwide is Cigarette smoking. Additionally, the early forms of tobacco include chewing tobacco leaves, ghutka and beedis, chillum and hookahs are equally common, especially in urban areas.

Approximately 4,000 chemicals are there in the tobacco of a cigarette, 100s of which are toxic like formaldehyde, ammonia and cadmium. These components of cigarettes have a detrimental effect on everything: from the body’s immunity to the functioning of the organs.

Some Brief Facts:
• On an average side, the lifespan of a smoker is 10 years less than a non-smoker.
• Smoking 1 cigarette can take 11 minutes off your life.
• Approximately, over and above 79.9% of the 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries.

Nicotine present in tobacco is a long-term addiction for a person who smokes or chews tobacco, which in turn gives a pleasure of high energy that makes one an addict. Nicotine directly goes down into the bloodstream and then reaches your brain. This entire cycle makes one a slave of tobacco, thereby harming your body organs in many ways. Chewing tobacco is also known as smokeless tobacco.

Why we should avoid the use of Tobacco in any form:
• Leading cause of Death
• Ruin appearance
• Triples the rate of heart attack
• Infect blood and immune system
• Decreases Bone Density

It is never too late to quit because it is only after that you start feeling that your body is aiming to attain normalcy.

Over to you:

Thus, on this World No Tobacco Day, let’s pledge to control tobacco use and exposure. Stop smoking and make other people aware of the dangerous health hazards of tobacco use.