Clamp down on smoking
CIGARETTE smoking is injurious to one’s health, as per the statutory warning message on every cigarette packet.
However, many people still keep smoking in spite of reading the warning and spoil their health in the process.
Even though the prices of cigarettes have gone up, yet we find a lot of people smoking. Once addicted to smoking, they are not able to give up.
Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Smoking also increases the risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.
Smoking is a common practice today. A lot of teenagers smoke cigarettes and consume alcohol of various brands. Some of them even chew tobacco and tobacco products.
These young men/women fail to foresee consequences of their actions when they drink, smoke, eat gutka or consume tobacco or tobacco products.
Recent studies have found out that smokers can undermine health of non-smokers in some environments. “Cigarette smoking is injurious to health”. This is a tag line which is printed on every cigarette packet.
We all read them; even smokers read them, but they ignore this warning. Why? Because they do not want to give up smoking as they have got habituated to it. They also know that cigarette not only causes pollution but pose health problems too.
It is one of the main causes behind lung cancer. The smoke of a burning cigarette is very dangerous.
Not only the smoker is in danger, but it is also hazardous to the health of the other person who is standing/sitting near him.
All smokers know and understand this perfectly well, yet there is something that prevents them from giving up smoking. Smoking is harmful for each and every organ of the body.
Nicotine is a highly addictive drug found in tobacco. When a cigarette is burned and inhaled, a drug is released into the body which is called nicotine.
It is a pleasure enhancing drugs and people easily get addicted to it. The intake of this drug stops your body growth and results in causing various diseases.
The government cannot ban the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products because banned items sometimes become more attractive to people and they will not quit smoking.
Every time you attempt to give up smoking, you become aware about the favourable and unfavourable situations.
You have to make up your mind and change your nearby environment if you want to give up smoking completely.
Dispose all cigarettes and ashtrays from your workplace, car and home. Your family and friends can also help you achieve this task. Don’t allow anyone to smoke around you. More people should be made aware about the hazards of smoking.
Restricting the sale of tobacco and tobacco products to a few select places with a special licence can prove to be more productive.
Men and young boys smoke because they feel it makes them manly. The government should strongly discourage the promotion and use of tobacco and tobacco products and hold countrywide campaigns to create awareness among the people.
It is better to be safe than sorry later on. I am 65 years old and I have never smoked a cigarette even once or drank a bottle of alcohol. If I can do it, why not you, my friends?
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Mumbai, India
