World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day is marked on 31st May every year. This initiative was taken by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987 to draw everyone's attention to the tobacco epidemic. In addition, the day allows us to spread awareness to the general public about the harmful effects of tobacco.

This annual campaign has a different theme each year. This year's theme for World No Tobacco Day 2023 is "We need food, not tobacco", which aims to raise awareness of alternative crop production and marketing opportunities for tobacco farmers and encourage them to grow sustainable and nutritious crops.

What is Tobacco?

Tobacco is a plant cultivated for its leaves, which are dried and fermented to make tobacco products. It contains nicotine, an ingredient that can lead to addiction, which is why so many smokers struggle to quit.

Tobacco Usage and Addiction

Forms of Tobacco Use

• Smoking: Cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, hookah, bidis, kreteks, and cigarillos.
• Other Methods: Chewing, applying, sucking, sniffing, and gargling.

Prevalence

• Smoking: Around 14% of adults smoke tobacco.
• Smokeless Tobacco: About 26% use smokeless forms of tobacco.

Nicotine Content and Addiction

• Cigarettes: Contain 5.7 mg to 13 mg of nicotine.
• Smokeless Tobacco (e.g., gutkha, khaini): Contains 1.7 mg to 76 mg of nicotine, depending on the product.
• Nicotine in tobacco is responsible for addiction.

Be it smoking or chewing; tobacco contains nicotine and many other carcinogenic compounds that increase the risk of different forms of cancer like oral cancer,throat cancer,lung cancer, etc. In addition, regular consumption of the harmful product can also cause tooth decay,gum disease, staining of teeth, loss of a tooth, and other cardiovascular diseases.

What is Smokeless Tobacco?

There are mainly two types of smokeless tobacco: chewing tobacco and snus.

Chewing tobacco usually comes in the form of leaves or plugs that are placed on the inside of your cheek and chewed. Chewing the tobacco releases the flavours and nicotine, causing your mouth to produce a large amount of saliva.

This is usually spit out by users. Snus is tobacco that comes in the form of a moist powder or small bags that you place under the inside of your bottom lip.

Smokeless tobacco is highly addictive and poses serious health risks, including throat and oral cancers. Users often develop cancers of the lip and cheek due to prolonged contact with tobacco. Regular dental check-ups are essential for early detection of oral cancer.

Can Smokeless Tobacco Be Part of Other Chewing Products?

Yes, smokeless tobacco goes by different names such as paan masala (Gutkha), snuff, zarda, nass, snus, supari, khaini, ariva, mawa, mishri, toombak, qiwam or kima, chimo. People who use it don't always know or use the term 'smokeless tobacco', so they often don't realize that the products contain tobacco. If you aren't sure, look on the packaging for names or ingredients like those we've mentioned above.

Effects of Tobacco Products on Health:

Tobacco in the form of smokeless smoke impacts the health of a person in many ways, affecting almost every body organ and causing a lot of illnesses.

• Increased risk of gum infections and tooth loss.
• Wounds taking longer to heal
• Decreased immune system function
• Increased risk of type 2 diabetes
• Decreased sense of smell and taste
• Premature ageing of the skin.
• Bad breath and stained teeth
• Increased risk for cataract
• Lower bone density means a higher risk for broken bones, including hip fractures.
• Higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
• Increased risk of age-related macular degeneration, which can cause blindness.
• Increased risk of peptic ulcers.

Treatment

Nicotine replacement therapy:

Nicotine replacement therapy is primarily used to treat nicotine addiction. It is available as gum, sprays, a patch, lozenges, and inhalers. Nicotine replacement products supply enough nicotine to prevent withdrawal symptoms and therefore prevent relapse. Prescription medicines such as bupropion and varenicline tartrate have been effective for those who are trying to quit nicotine.

Behavioural treatment:

Behavioural treatment includes psychological support and skills training to overcome high-risk situations.

Benefits of Quitting the Use of Tobacco

Quitting the use of tobacco is one of the best things individuals can do to improve their health and reduce the harmful effects of tobacco. The benefits of quitting tobacco are:

• Reduced Cancer Risk: Lowers the risk of lung, throat, mouth, bladder, kidney, and pancreatic cancer.
• Improved Lung Function: Enhances lung health and reduces the risk of COPD and other respiratory conditions.
• Better Cardiovascular Health: Decreases the risk of stroke, heart disease, and other cardiovascular conditions.
• Reduced Premature Mortality Risk: Lowers the chance of early death, improving overall life expectancy.
• Improved Quality of Life: Boosts physical and mental health, and enhances social and economic well-being.

Let us have a tobacco-free environment so that future generations can live happily!

Frequently Asked Questions