All You Need to Know About Tobacco Consumption

“Tobacco Kills” and “Smoking Causes Cancer” are surely those slogans that are most commonly heard, barely understood, and hardly adhered to by people across the world and especially in India!

According to a WHO report, the tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Sadly, India is one of the highest consumers of tobacco and the largest user of smokeless tobacco (SLT).  

On average, more than 8 million people around the world are affected each year. The worst part is that this is not the end. The situation is getting worse day by day and this number is increasing speedily with each passing year. Let’s understand this with statistics:

• Up to half of Tobacco, Users are killed each year
• On average, one million people annually in India are killed due to smoking
• More than 60% of the tobacco users are from low- and middle-income countries
• The fourth leading cause of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in India is Smoking
• 35% of adults are smokers (Males – 48% | Females – 20%)
• Kolkata is the city with the highest cigarette consumption in India, where an average person smokes up to 9-10 cigarettes per day 
• Mumbai is the city with the second highest cigarette consumption in India, where an average person consumes around 6-7 cigarettes in a day
• 11 per 1 lakh males suffer from lung cancer due to smoking
• 10 per 1 lakh males suffer from oral cavity cancer due to tobacco consumption
• 26 per 1 lakh females suffer from breast cancer due to smoking 
• 22 per 1 lakh females suffer from cervical cancer due to tobacco consumption

The situation is alarming!! In this piece of the article let’s try to understand the consequences of tobacco consumption in the long run and how to reverse the adverse effect of tobacco usage? 

Various Forms of Tobacco Consumption:

Tobacco is consumed in different forms in different parts of India. Some of the common ways people consume tobacco in India Include:

Cigar, Hookah, Water Pipes, Beedi’s, Hookli, Gutkha, Khaini, Reverse Chutta, etc. 

Cigarette Smoking is the most common form of tobacco consumption in India. 

Of all the available forms, Cigarette Smoking is the most common form of tobacco consumption.

Cigarettes are available in various types, filtered/unfiltered, flavored, length-based, etc. In India, the indigenous Beedi is also available. It is made with 0.2 to 0.3 g of tobacco wrapped in temburni leaf and tied with a small string. 

It is estimated that Beedis contain thrice more nicotine and 5  times more amount of tar than cigarettes.

While the association of tobacco usage or smoking with Cancer is well-known, there are several other serious and life-threatening effects of tobacco usage which are relatively lesser-known such as Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Hypertension, Peripheral Artery Disease, and more. 

The effects of tobacco and the risk associated with it can never be exaggerated. Whether it is direct (first-hand) or indirect (second-hand) exposure, tobacco consumption has severe negative deadly effects on the body. 

Effect of Tobacco on Body:

In a healthy individual, the lungs take in oxygen through breathing and deliver it to the heart. Further, the heart pumps this oxygen to the entire body and this is how oxygen-rich blood is available for each cell of the body.

However, in a smoker, or one who is a regular tobacco consumer, the oxygen intake is poor due to improper functioning of the lungs. Secondly, When a person smokes or inhales any form of tobacco, the chemical gets into the lungs. This deteriorates the efficiency of the heart pumping blood throughout the body. Also, the blood pumped is highly contaminated and contagious to the cells. 

That is why the risks of tobacco consumption in any form are known to deteriorate the individual’s overall health, affecting the body, increasing the risk of deadly diseases, and reducing overall life expectancy.

How to reverse the effect of tobacco? 

The best piece of advice on reversing the effect of tobacco is to “quit tobacco” and move toward a cleaner, healthier, and safer lifestyle. 

In a nutshell, this is what you should do in order to reverse the effect:

• Eat a clean, green, and healthy diet: Incorporate lots of green leafy veggies, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetable protein like peas, soy, pulses, chickpeas, lentils, etc into your regular diet. Avoid animal protein for time-being. 
• Drink a lot of water:  Stay hydrated, drink 2.5 to 3 liters of water each day, It helps to flush the toxins out of your body.
• Workout regularly:  Engage in an active workout for at least 30 minutes a day, Try walking, jogging, and other easy home-friendly workouts. 
• Indulge in Yoga: Meditation or soulful yoga will calm your mind and nerves, Plus it will curb your craving for tobacco.
• Detox your body from time to time (through diet):  Go on a detox diet every weekend or as and when required. A Detox Diet will cleanse your internal organs. 
• Quit Alcohol: Do not put yourself into any other addiction, It will only worsen your health. Try to keep yourself away from alcohol or any such addictions.
• Do not self-medicate:  Always consult your healthcare provider, and do not rely on self-medication while reversing the effect of tobacco. Self-medication can put you in danger, also do not look for any “tobacco replacement chewing gums” or “pills” to satisfy your urge. 
• Keep yourself away from stress: Try to connect yourself with nature as this will keep your mind calm. Also, keep yourself away from people and situations that burst your patience and are stressful for you.
• Expose yourself to proper sunlight and fresh air:  Nature is the best healer. Fresh air will detox your lungs and sunlight will naturally build your immunity. Do not keep yourself deprived of these free boons.  
• Understand the perks of quitting tobacco:  This is the most important part of starting your journey towards a tobacco-free life. Know that getting over tobacco will only improve your life and health for the better. No matter how challenging it may seem, have the courage to do it anyway!

Eight Benefits of Quitting Tobacco:

1. Increased life expectancy
2. Free of health ailments
3. Increased immunity
4. Lower risk of cancer or any other deadly disease
5. Improved levels of energy
6. Faster recovery from another disease 
7. Females will have a better reproductive life 
8. Lower risk of AIDS 

FAQ’s

1.) Is it possible to quit tobacco?

Yes, with strong determination and the right guidance, you can definitely quit tobacco. Further, move towards a healthier lifestyle pattern to reverse the adverse effect of tobacco.

2.) What harmful chemicals does tobacco contain?

Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, Of which at least 250 are known to be harmful, including hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, benzene, and Nickel amongst others. These chemicals are harmful to both smokers as well as nonsmokers. 

3.) Can regular tobacco consumption lead to death?

Tobacco consumption has been closely linked with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and various other diseases which can prove to be fatal if not treated.

4.) Can I smoke 3-4 cigarettes a day? Is it safe?

Know that smoking is never safe and so there is no safe level of smoking. Smoking even just one cigarette per day over a lifetime can be as harmful as smoking a packet for just a year. Regular consumption can cause smoking-related cancers (lung, bladder, and pancreas) and premature death.

Summing up:

Tobacco addiction is a threat to life. Fighting its traumatic urge and eventually giving up on it is a difficult process, but not an impossible one. Smoking tobacco, or consuming it in other forms can negatively impact your health, causing many diseases and even death. Hence the quicker you decide to quit the better would be your quality of life! Feel free to consult a healthcare provider for counseling sessions, if required.  

Remember, the strings of your life should be in your control, do not let tobacco take hold of it!