Today World No Tobacco Day ,Please Spend SomeTtime To Read It

Tobacco & Smoking:

Smoking is a world wide hazard. It is a single most important cause of preventable premature death. According to WHO figures there are about 1.3 billion smokers in the world.  20 billion cigarettes are sold every day. Smoking is declining in US and many other western countries In USA smoking rate have decreased to almost half  over the last three decades but it is on the rise in developing countries like Pakistan,  India, Philippine, Thailand and Cambodia .

 In some developed countries in far East like Japan and China more than 60 % of male population smokes. One third of the world population smokes, 12 % of them are women and every day 100,000 kids are added to this number. Every year 5.6 million people die of tobacco/smoking related diseases. Every 6 second a current or former smoker dies. 70 % of smokers die younger than normal population. Smokers die 15 year younger than non smokers. In 21st century, 1.3 billion people will die of smoking.

How smoking kills?

LUNG CANCER : 

90% of people who develop lung cancer are current or former smokers. Risk for lung cancer increases with number of cigarette smoked (1 pack per day smoker is at higher risk  than half packs per day smoker) longer one has smoked more is the risk for lung cancer ( a person who has smoked for 20 years is at  a higher  risk than one who smoked for 10years). In USA, lung cancer causes more deaths than breast cancer, prostrate cancer and colon caner together

Smoking known cause of many other cancers like throat cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, cancer of pancreas, breast cancer, kidney cancer and prostrate cancer.

Other Lung Diseases:

Smoking  causes medical conditions called emphysema and bronchitis (COPD).  In these conditions the lung tissue is permanently damaged, as a result patient develops cough, difficulty in breathing and may develop symptoms which mimic asthma. Patient gets lung infections (pneumonia) easily. In this case, lung can not make enough oxygen which, ultimately, leads to  breathing failure and death.

Heart Attack: 

Tobacco  smoking is a leading cause of heart attack.  Smokers have  twice risk of fatal heart disease. Tobacco smoke has chemicals which causes hardening of the blood vessel with plaque formation (atherosclerosis) which blocks the blood supply to the heart muscle resulting heart attack and death.

Stroke:

 Smoking increases the risk of stroke.  Smokers have three fold risk of stroke. 15% deaths due to stroke are smoking related.

Other Adverse Effects of Smoking:

 Risk for Hip, due to tinning of bones (osteoporosis), stomach ulcer, early wrinkling of skin and sleep disturbance.

"I CANT QUIT," is the most common response when a smoker is asked to quit.

"YES YOU CAN QUIT," should be the answer.

"HOW?"

By understanding the ill effects of smoking and also that you are not only poisoning your self, but also your family and friends by giving them second hand smoke. There is help available in form of counseling by physicians, by nicotine products like nicotine patches, nicotine gum, and nicotine spray, and two drugs namely Bupropion and Varenicline. They help by preventing withdrawal symptoms by nicotine dependence. If a patient is motivated with the help of a physician, and one of these medications, he may able to quit.

On No-Tobacco Day the attempt is to draw public and government attention on the need to take effective measures to prevent tobacco consumption which contaminates the air we live in. So, if your dream is to live in a pollution-free environment, then Anti- Tobacco Day 2014 is the right time to express your support to help create a safe and healthy environment for future generations. In India, World No Tobacco Day is observed with fervour. The government, individuals and public health organisations organize health camps and rallies to create a tobacco-free society.