Experts Urge Public to Quit Tobacco for Life

New Delhi/ Chitradurga : Top notch healthcare professionals at a workshop on “Dangers of tobacco chewing and smoking ” held at the Chitradurga based
Basaveshwara Medical College and Hospital on Friday ahead of the World No Tobacco day , urge to quit tobacco for life.They said that India continues to face a major public health challenge due to tobacco. With over 26 crore users and nearly 13 lakh deaths annually linked to tobacco consumption, the economic burden is significant.

“Tobacco is not just about cancer. It’s a major cause of chronic respiratory diseases, oral precancerous conditions, asthma complications, and even cardiovascular problems. ” they added.
Sharing insights on this issue Guest Speaker , Advisor – National Cancer Control Programme , Dr Naresh Purohit stated that out of the world’s 7.5 billion people, 1.5 billion still smoke, despite the greatly increasing awareness of the evidence of how tobacco kills. That’s one in five humans who are knowingly increasing their chances of cancer, heart disease, stroke, COPD, infertility, and an early death.

“Every smoker needs to understand that smoking is not just harmful for them, but it is the most preventable act of self-destruction — one that also silently harms everyone around them,” said he

Noted Epidemiologist, Dr Purohit revealed that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco kills more than 7 million people every year, and about 1 million of those deaths are due to secondhand smoke exposure.

Quitting or not shouldn’t be a question at all anymore; the only question should be how. “This is because tobacco is not just a lifestyle choice; it’s a global killer, and the damage caused by it is so vast and non- discriminatory that it spares no organ, no age group, and no corner of society,” explains he

Dr Patil, Professor – Dept of Family Medicine averred that smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, and also increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, bladder, pancreas, kidney, and more. “It damages the lining of the arteries, causing blood clots and raising the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
It also lowers fertility in both men and women and raises the risk of pregnancy complications, birth defects, and stillbirths,” said he.

The healthcare professionals called upon governments, educators, and families to take a united stand against the tobacco epidemic, to protect public health and secure a healthier future for the next generation.

*Dr. Narresh Purohit-MD, DNB, DIH, MHA, MRCP(UK), is an Epidemiologist, and Advisor-National Communicable Disease Control Program of Govt. of India, Madhya Pradesh and several state Health organizations.    He’s  the Principle Investigator – Association of Studies In Behavioural Science),                 Dr. Purohit is also Advisor-National Mental Health Program .