World No Tobacco Day 31st May 2020 – Dr. PottiVenkataChalamaiah, Consultant Pulmonologist, KIMS Hospitals, Kurnool

New Delhi, May 29, 2020: The world health organisation designates 31^st May of each year as World no tobacco day.

Tobacco is marketed in different types for smoking like cigarettes, beedis, cigars, hookah etc. and for chewing tobacco like gutka etc. Nicotine is the substance contained in the leaves of tobacco plant which leads to the addiction of this smoking.

Effects of smoking on Health:

Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of early disease and death. Even passive smoking is also harmful to health. It is one of the risk factor for COVID- 19 infection in this pandemic.

Heart: smoking increases the risk of atherosclerosis of blood vessels reducing blood flow   leading to coronary artery disease, MI (heart attacks), stroke and HTN.

Respiratory system: most commonly affected system leading to diseases like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), chronic bronchitis and increases the risk of various viral and bacterial infections.

Smoking is one of the risk factor for infertility in both males and females. In males it leads to low sperm count and impotency. In pregnant females it leads abortions, premature births and infant illnesses.

Smoking is leading cause of many cancers mainly lung cancer, laryngeal cancers, oral cancers, cervix cancer etc.

It leads to many diseases of oral cavity, skin, immune system, bones etc.

QUITTING OF SMOKING:

People willing to quit smoking should consult their physicians to assist them and involve them in de- addiction programs. Non pharmacological approaches like health education and group counselingetc to promote quitting. Pharmacological approaches like use of nicotine replacement therapies in the form of gums etc and various drugs which should be used under the guidance of a physician to achieve and sustain quitting of smoking.

BENEFITS OF QUITTING:

Reduces the risk of  various diseases and imminent early deaths significantly. The individual’s risk of getting various diseases gradually decreases by sustained quitting of smoking.

WHO THEME OF 2020

“Protecting youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use.”

We as a society can’t afford another generation getting addicted to tobacco and killed by its diseases and we need to empower youth to stand up against tobacco by dispelling it’s lies and refusing to use its products.

Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)