02 June 2011
Pune, India
A global adult survey shows that tobacco consumption in youth is increasing. Almost 14.6% of youth aged between 13 and 15 years are consuming tobacco, said consultant pulmonologist Kinila T Mohan. He was speaking at the workshop organised by Aditya Birla Memorial hospital (ABMH) to mark the World No Tobacco Day recently.
The workshop was aimed at educating people on how to quit smoking. It included presentation and pictures to persuade people to quit consuming tobacco permanently.
"More than 60 chemicals have been found in tobacco. They are all carcinogens, which are known to cause cancer. He emphasised on the addictive nature of nicotine, which is found in tobacco, both emotionally and physically, as addictive as heroin or cocaine, making tobacco quitting difficult," said Mohan.
All forms of tobacco – bidis, cigarettes, paan (betel leaf) with tobacco, paan masala, hookah, gutkha, chillum, chutta, khaini, mawa, mishri, dry snuff – are harmful, he said.
Speaking of the illness that tobacco causes Mohan said that tobacco is a silent killer and the single largest cause of preventable diseases including asthma, cancer, heart attacks and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Smoking substantially increases the risk of tuberculosis.
"Smoking cessation therapy ( nicotine replacement treatment), counseling, lung function tests (spirometry) along with pranayama and yoga or other alternate complimentary therapy can help one quit smoking," Mohan said.
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