World No Tobacco Day: Addiction spoils your pride, do not put your life in danger

Even if you enjoy smoking for a few seconds throughout the day, but when this fun becomes life the sentence for you, you cannot even guess.

India is the second-largest consumer of tobacco products consumption globally and more than one million people die every year due to tobacco-related disease. Despite the heavy taxation, strict warning labels, the use of tobacco is not declining.

Smoking in adolescence is now an epidemic in the country. According to the World Health Organization, India is home to 12 per cent of the world's smokers, which are 120 million smokers. Every year in India, more than 1 million people die due to consumption of tobacco. Staggering figures also show that 24 per cent of children under the age of 16 in India have used tobacco in some time, and 14 per cent are still using tobacco products. Many youngsters pick up these habits every year, 90 per cent of all adult smokers started having children.

Some facts related to tobacco

1. According to the World Health Organization WHO, smoke is produced in about 125 countries around the world.

2.  Around 5.5 trillion cigarettes produced every year worldwide, and more than one billion people consume it.

3. According to the report, 80 per cent of men worldwide consume tobacco, but in some countries, smoking habits have increased significantly in women.

4. Around 10% of smokers worldwide are in India, according to the report, about 25 thousand people in India consume tobacco through gutkha, beedi, cigarette, hookah etc.

5. India produces 10 billion cigarettes and 72.5 million kg of tobacco.

6. India ranks sixth after Brazil, China, the US, Malawi and Italy in terms of tobacco exports.

7. In developing countries, every year, 8000 children die due to smoking by parents.

8. The number of people dying from tobacco-related diseases in India is increasing at a breakneck pace as compared to any other country in the world.

9. Smoking of any kind is the leading cause of more than 90 per cent of lung cancer, brain haemorrhage and paralysis.

10. Cigarettes & Tobacco: It effects in the form of cancer of the mouth, spinal cord, throat and bladder.

11. The carcinogenic substances present in cigarettes and tobacco help in the growth and destruction of cancer cells by stopping the growth of body cells.

12. Prolonged smoking is highly likely to cause cancer in the mouth, uterus, kidneys, and digestive gland.

13. Consumption of smoke and facing its smoke even when it is not wanting is the leading cause of heart and brain diseases.

14. Substances like nicotine, carbon monoxide present in smoking fumes caused diseases related to heart, glands and arteries.

Smoking is banned in public places in India, yet it is not implemented due to poor law and order. The Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs in India has already approved the National Tobacco Control Program. The aim is to effectively implement the Tobacco Control Act and spread awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco.