World No Tobacco Day: Time to stub off the 'epidemic', say health professionals

An increasing number of youngsters are caught in the web of smoking unable to wean off the habit.

Samarth (24) has been smoking for the last three years. It started while partying with friends who indulge in the habit, and soon he got hooked.

"I started lighting up a cigarette whenever I was a bit stressed," he says.

Every two to three months he takes on a health challenge and tries to quit the habit. "But have not been able to break it because whenever there is a bit of stress, personal or professional, either the body or the mind demands a smoke," he confesses.

Samarth is one of the many young people who is increasingly caught in the web of smoking and unable to wean off the habit, no matter how hard they try.

As another 'World No Tobacco Day' dawns, it brings to fore yet again the health challenges posed by consumption of all forms of tobacco, for smokers as well non-smokers.

The day is also a call to the governments to have effective policies like higher taxation on tobacco and related products, ban on advertisements on all kinds of tobacco products, and to promote awareness campaigns.

How dangerous an 'epidemic' it is, is all out there in the open.

The WHO's theme for 'World No Tobacco Day' this year is “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference,” while it "focuses on preventing the tobacco industry from targeting young people with harmful products and promoting policies that shield them from manipulative practices".

The WHO points out that "according to 2022 data, worldwide, at least 37 million young people aged 13–15 years use some form of tobacco.''

Peer pressure is often cited as one of the major reasons children get sucked into the habit. This, added with the inability to cope with stress, woos them into smoking.

So how do you protect children from the use of tobacco?

"Regular health education about harmful effects of smoking and including these topics in every school year curriculum should help," informs Dr Deepak, Krishnamurthy, HOD, Department of Cardiology, Kauvery Hospital, Marathahalli.

The rise of new tobacco-based products is a huge challenge when it comes to keeping children as well as adults away from their harmful effects.

When it comes to adults, the number of people smoking is on the rise, which is leading to heart disease, stroke, cancer, and respiratory illnesses.

*Raj (33) started smoking when he was in high school and was a regular smoker for 15 years.

"Two years back, I visited a doctor since I was highly stressed as my mom had passed away. My cholesterol had gone up and my blood pressure was alarmingly high. That day I decided to quit smoking and haven’t smoked since then," he says.

"We see a whole gamut of cardiovascular diseases due to smoking in our daily practice,'' Dr Deepak points out.

Heart attacks, he says, especially among young smokers, are worrisome.

"Smoking also leads to peripheral vascular disease and gangrene and limb amputations. Stroke resulting in paralysis is another important consequence of smoking. When coupled with other risk factors like diabetes and high blood pressure, the result is even more catastrophic, " he explains.

The Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM)'s latest report says globally tobacco is responsible for 70 lakh (7 million) deaths and kills around 12.8 persons annually in India (more than TB, AIDS, malaria combined) and 3,500 deaths daily."

India's close neighbours like Bhutan have a 100 per cent ban on tobacco. Isn't there a lesson for us to take from there?

Smoking is responsible for 80 per cent of lung cancers, says Dr Mansi Khanderia, lead consultant medical oncologist, Sparsh Hospital, while adding that a smoker is 10 to 20 times more likely to get cancer.

Dr Mansi emphasises that quitting tobacco or smoking is a challenge but it is possible. She advises on reaching out to an oncologist or psychiatrist to assist in smoking cessation.

"Do not let children or adolescents fall prey to peer pressure and start smoking," she says and calls for withdrawal of investments in any form of stocks or funds in tobacco related enterprises or companies.

*Minni (29) started smoking back in college with another friend’s "I quit" cigarette packet which she had asked Minni to keep safely.

"What started with 'chai sutta' between classes soon became a regular affair. A couple of years later I started working and I would end up smoking 20 plus cigarettes a day," she says.

Three years ago, she joined the gym and could feel the impact smoking had on her body during workouts and especially during high intensity training.

"So I was looking for a little push…and then, another friend wanted to quit and we thought we would try with a one-week detox. I am still on that detox."

The key, she says, is to not smoke, to just stop it. "I don’t think one can “reduce” it to zero."

Meanwhile Dr Deepak offers some panacea to this addiction. "Fix a date to quit smoking in the next 6 to 8 weeks, start tapering everyday and stop on the fixed date. If you fail, try again. It may take an average of 3 to 4 attempts to quit. Form a peer group and try to quit together. It helps."

He advises taking help from psychiatrists to quit smoking. "Sometimes, underlying stress needs to be addressed. Nicotine gums and patches do help in trying to quit.

"Improve your diet and start exercising on a regular basis to improve overall health. Taper and cut down on alcohol especially if you have the habit of smoking while drinking," Dr Deepak says.

As for Minni, she has been off cigarettes for the last two and half years.

"I like to call it a pause and not quitting. Just for mental satisfaction," she says.

By all means, it could be a new beginning for her!