പുകയില പാക്കറ്റുകളിലെ ക്വിറ്റ്ലൈന്‍ ടോള്‍ ഫ്രീ നമ്പര്‍: ശക്തമായ പിന്തുണയുമായി ഡോക്ടര്‍മാരും പുകയില ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചവരും

2018 സെപ്റ്റംബര്‍ 1 മുതല്‍ എല്ലാ പുകയില പാക്കറ്റുകളിലും ക്വിറ്റ് ലൈന്‍ ടോള്‍ ഫ്രീ നമ്പറായ 1800 11 2356  ചേര്‍ക്കണമെന്ന കേന്ദ്ര സര്‍ക്കാര്‍ തീരുമാനത്തിന് ശക്തമായ പിന്തുണ നല്‍കി ഡോക്ടര്‍മാരും പുകയില ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചവരും.  പുകയിലയെ എന്നെന്നേയ്ക്കുമായി ഉപേക്ഷിക്കാന്‍ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന, അതേസമയം  അത് എങ്ങനെ ചെയ്യണം എന്ന് അറിയാത്തവര്‍ക്ക് കേന്ദ്ര ആരോഗ്യമന്ത്രാലയത്തിന്‍റെ ക്വിറ്റ്ലൈന്‍ സേവനം ഒരു ഫോണ്‍കോളിലൂടെ നേരിട്ടു ലഭിക്കും എന്നതാണ് ഇതിന്‍റെ പ്രത്യേകത. 

പുകവലിക്കുന്നവരും പുകയില ഉത്പന്നങ്ങള്‍ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നവരും ക്വിറ്റ് ലൈന്‍ നമ്പര്‍ ഡയല്‍ ചെയ്താല്‍ മറുവശത്ത് പരിശീലനം ലഭിച്ച കൗണ്‍സിലര്‍മാര്‍  നിശ്ചിത സമയപരിധിക്കുള്ളില്‍ ഈ ദു:ശീലം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള ഉചിതമായ പരിഹാരങ്ങളും വഴികളും  ഉപദേശിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും.

ഇന്ത്യന്‍ മെഡിക്കല്‍ അസോസിയേഷന്‍ (ഐഎംഎ) കേരള അദ്ധ്യക്ഷന്‍ ഡോ. ഇ.കെ. ഉമ്മര്‍ കേന്ദ്ര സര്‍ക്കാര്‍  നടപടിയെ സ്വാഗതം ചെയ്തു. എല്ലാ പുകയില ഉല്‍പന്ന പായ്ക്കുകളിലും ക്വിറ്റ് ലൈന്‍ നമ്പര്‍ ഉള്‍പ്പെടുത്തുന്നതിലൂടെ പുകയില ഉത്പന്നങ്ങള്‍ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നവര്‍ക്കും അല്ലാത്തവര്‍ക്കും ഈ നമ്പര്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ പരിചിതമാകുമെന്നും സ്വമേധയാ ഈ ദുശീലം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കാന്‍ ഇത് കൂടുതല്‍ ആളുകളെ പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കുമെന്നും അദ്ദേഹം അഭിപ്രായപ്പെട്ടു.    

വായിലെ കാന്‍സറിന്‍റെ രൂക്ഷത പ്രകടിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ചിത്രങ്ങള്‍ ഒരു ഡോക്ടര്‍ ആയ തന്നില്‍പോലും വേദനയുളവാക്കുന്നു. ഇത്തരം ചിത്രങ്ങള്‍ കാണുകയും പുകവലിയുടെ ദോഷങ്ങള്‍ മനസിലാക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നവര്‍ തീര്‍ച്ചയായും ഈ ദുശീലം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിന് ക്വിറ്റ്ലൈനിനെ ആശ്രയിക്കുമെന്ന് അദ്ദേഹം പറഞ്ഞു.  

ദീര്‍ഘകാലമായി ആഗോളതലത്തില്‍വരെ പുകയില മോചന പ്രചാരണ പ്രവര്‍ത്തനത്തിനായി പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുന്ന അച്യുത മേനോന്‍ സെന്‍റര്‍ ഫോര്‍ ഹെല്‍ത്ത് സയന്‍സ് സ്റ്റഡീസിലെ എമിരിറ്റസ് പ്രൊഫസര്‍ ഡോ. തങ്കപ്പന്‍,  ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് ഹിന്ദി ഭാഷകളില്‍ മാത്രമല്ല, ഇന്ത്യയിലെ എല്ലാ പ്രമുഖ ഭാഷകളിലേക്കും ഈ സേവനം വ്യാപിപ്പിക്കണമെന്ന് അഭിപ്രായപ്പെട്ടു. ഇന്ത്യയില്‍ പുകയില ഉപയോഗം അവസാനിപ്പിക്കുന്നവര്‍  23 ശതമാനത്തില്‍ താഴെയാണ്. ഇത് പുകയില ഉല്‍പന്നങ്ങളുടെ തീക്ഷ്ണമായ  ആസക്തി സ്വഭാവമാണ് ചൂണ്‍ണ്ടിക്കാട്ടുന്നത്. ഈ സ്വഭാവത്തില്‍നിന്ന് മോചനം നേടാന്‍ ക്വിറ്റ്ലൈന്‍ പ്രയോജനപ്പെടുമെന്ന് അദ്ദേഹം ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടി.

വിവിധ തരത്തിലുള്ള പുകയില ഉത്പന്നങ്ങളുടെ ഉപയോഗം നിര്‍ത്താന്‍ ആത്മാര്‍ത്ഥമായി ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന എല്ലാവര്‍ക്കും ക്വിറ്റ്ലൈന്‍ വളരെ ഉപകാര പ്രദമായിരിക്കുമെന്ന് പതിനേഴാം  വയസ്സില്‍ ഈ ശീലത്തിന് തുടക്കമിട്ട് 35 വയസ്സുള്ളപ്പോള്‍ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച സുരേഷ് കെ.സി അഭിപ്രായപ്പെട്ടു. മലബാര്‍ കാന്‍സര്‍ സെന്‍റര്‍ പുകയില ഉത്പന്നങ്ങള്‍ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചവരുടെ കൂട്ടായ്മയായി രൂപം നല്‍കിയ  'മുന്നേറ്റം' എന്ന സംഘടനയുടെ സെക്രട്ടറിയാണ് സുരേഷ്.  മുന്നേറ്റത്തിന്‍റെ ശ്രമഫലമായി ഇതുവരെ 160 പേര്‍ പുകയില എന്ന ദുശീലം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നും അദ്ദേഹം കൂട്ടിച്ചേര്‍ത്തു.

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Tobacco use is barrier to sustainable development-WHO Director

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, says tobacco use is a barrier to sustainable development on all fronts.

He made the remark in Cape Town, South Africa, March 7 during the 17th World Conference on Health or Tobacco, WCTOH. The event is placed under the theme: “Uniting the World for a Tobacco Free Generation.”

During the event, the WHO Director joined various speakers to appeal for a renewed focus on tobacco control policies to help users quit and to prevent non-users from becoming addicted.

Michael Bloomberg and Bloomberg Philanthropies, all  organisers of the event said, “international collaboration is vital for tracking tobacco use, which remains the world’s leading preventable cause of death, killing more than seven million people each year.”

They disclosed that global tobacco control measures have saved nearly 35 million lives around the world, even though; tobacco industry is pushing to find new users.

Various participants attended the event were of the opinion that the event will serve as avenue “to address this epidemic by working together to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure. Tobacco has no benefits to humanity whatsoever as the tobacco industry is poisoning people to death,”

Given that tobacco use kills more than seven million people worldwide each year, stakeholders at the event proposed that to save lives, governments across the globe must stand up to the tobacco industry and fully implement the proven strategies called for by the tobacco control treaty, the FCTC. These include significant tobacco tax increases, comprehensive smoke-free laws, advertising bans and large, graphic health warnings.

“Now is the time for leaders to implement strong policies proven to protect their citizens from tobacco,” he appealed.

Courtesy:Journal du Cameroun

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India home to a high proportion of young smokers

Data from the Global Tobacco Atlas released recently indicates that despite lowering tobacco use in recent years, India is home to an estimated 625,000 child smokers in the age group of 10 to 14 years. More than 932,600 Indian lives are lost to tobacco-related diseases every year. Further, the economic burden of smoking is very high in India and this includes both direct cost of healthcare and the indirect cost of lost productivity.

Use of tobacco is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, pulmonary diseases and certain types of cancers.

Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Immediate Past National President Indian Medical Association (IMA), said, “One of the major causes for continued tobacco consumption in India is the fact that it is a part of the country’s social culture. Kids start smoking even before they’re old enough to think about the risks; after starting they rapidly become addicted to smoking and then regret it later. Smoking aggravates bone loss and is a risk factor for hip fracture. It is responsible for more than 10% of heart blockage diseases all over the world and 33% of all cardiac deaths. Any form of tobacco like snuff, chewing, and dipping varieties which are not burnt can be termed as smokeless, another variant that is harmful to health. Smokeless forms also contain sugar and prolonged usage can adversely affect control of blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes.”

It is a common practice in India to use SLT mixed with areca nut. Areca nut itself is classified as a class one carcinogenic and also causes other adverse health effects.

Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, who is also the Vice President of CMAAO, said, “Quite often, we may rebuke a patient for failing in his efforts to quit smoking and say, ‘If you do not quit, you may die’. A statement worded as this may inadvertently sound discouraging to the patient. While it is important that people know the dangers of smoking or using tobacco products, a positive communication approach may have a more fruitful impact than a critical approach.”

HCFI tips to quit this habit.

· Try short-acting nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine gum, lozenges, nasal sprays, or inhalers. These can help overcome intense cravings.

· Identify the trigger situation, which makes you smoke. Have a plan in place to avoid these or get through them alternatively.

· Chew on sugarless gum or hard candy, or munch raw carrots, celery, nuts or sunflower seeds instead of tobacco.

· Get physically active. Short bursts of physical activity such as running up and down the stairs a few times can make a tobacco craving go away.

One approach to smoking cessation is the five-step algorithm called the “5 A’s” (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange)

All smokers should be advised to quit smoking.

Even brief advice to quit has been shown to increase quit rates.

Smokers be managed with a combination of behavioral support and pharmacologic therapy

Combination therapy is superior to either behavioral intervention or pharmacologic therapy alone.

Courtesy:The Health Site

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Campaign launched to warn of dangerous link between tobacco and TB

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), during the End-TB Summit here, has re-launched 'Cough,' a national mass media campaign to warn citizens about the links between TB and tobacco use.

'Cough' shows that tobacco consumption and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke increases the risk of TB and of dying from the disease. A key barrier to timely diagnosis and treatment among smokers is the assumption that a cough is related to their smoking. This campaign encourages smokers to visit their doctor to confirm whether a persistent cough is a sign of TB.

TB killed 432,000 Indians in 2016 - more than 1,183 every day. The government aims to eradicate TB from India by 2025, five years ahead of the global TB elimination target of 2030. The campaign, which is designed to create support for TB eradication, encourage smokers to quit, and increase timely diagnosis and treatment of TB, was developed and implemented with technical support from Vital Strategies.

"Most TB deaths in India occur among young, economically productive adults and the disease is one of the top five causes of death among people aged 30-69 years," said Jose Luis Castro, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vital Strategies.

"India's tobacco epidemic is contributing to this burden. 'Cough' will support progress towards the target of eliminating TB by 2025 by encouraging smokers to quit and ensuring that smokers and those exposed to secondhand smoke visit the doctor about a persistent cough. This is a life-saving message and we congratulate MoHFW on the re-launch of this important campaign," added Castro.

When 'Cough' first launched on World No Tobacco Day in 2017, India became the first country in the world to run a national tobacco control campaign that highlights the increased risk of TB and dying from TB linked to smoking tobacco (cigarettes or bidis) or exposure to second hand smoke.

The public service announcement (PSA) graphically shows that while a smoker's cough tells the smoker they have a health problem, a persistent cough over two weeks or more could indicate that problem is TB. The PSA shows a father smoking and coughing beside his daughter, noting that exposure to second-hand smoke brings the same risks. It ends with the stark warning that "Every bidi cigarette brings you and those around you closer to TB."

Courtesy :Deccan Chronicle

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Detrimental Tobacco

Let me start by saying that I don't want to sound like a fanatic, for I don't suggest anything that I can't do myself. I quit smoking recently. And that's no small feat. Tobacco is the most common form of addiction and one of the most harmful as well, much more than the dreaded cannabis or for that matter Ecstasy, let alone alcohol.

If, and I know it's a big if, alcohol is consumed in moderation at a decent pace, half an hour for a peg, it's actually medicinal. But there's no safe amount of consumption of tobacco products. And for a young country like India, where half of the population is below 25 years of age, tobacco is doom. The greatest challenge before India, as a nation, is to exploit the incredible demographic potential—and inculcating a sports culture is the most effective way of doing it. Tobacco is the surest and easiest way of squandering it.

Simply put, tobacco is a significant public health hazard, and something urgently needs to be done to discourage people from tobacco consumption. Just to give an idea of the enormity of the problem, globally, tobacco kills more people than tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and malaria combined. Remember, smoking a cigarette is just one of many ways of consuming tobacco. The consumption of smokeless tobacco in the form of snuff, chewing tobacco, tobacco leaf and gutkha is widespread amongst all age groups in India. There's no escape, every second Indian is hooked on to one or the other form of tobacco consumption, and more often than not, it contributes to oral submucosal fibrosis or OSF.

More Indians chew tobacco than they smoke cigarettes or beedis, the figures are 26 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively, according to the Indian government and the World Health Organisation's Global Adult Tobacco Survey of 2009-2010. Not surprisingly, nearly 80 per cent of oral cancer patients are tobacco users.

Recently, the Indian Journal of Medical of Pediatrics published a study by Gauravi Mishra, Sharmila A Pimple and Surendra S Shastri that pointed to the fact that India is the second-largest consumer of tobacco globally, and accounts for approximately one-sixth of the world's tobacco-related deaths. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey paints a grim picture of India. It was carried out amongst students of classes VIII, IX and X, or roughly of the 13-16 age group. It was found that 15 per cent of students used tobacco products, mostly chewing tobacco (nearly 80 per cent).

Despite this, not much has been done to curtail tobacco consumption. One of the main reasons is that the tobacco industry is fairly influential. It has been boasting about its contribution to the Indian economy at large by generating employment in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors along with revenues in the form of exports and taxes, as a justification to be allowed to play with the health of our country's people. But one doesn't need rocket science to understand that the public health hazard caused by tobacco outweighs all economic benefits many times over.

In the past, many states have tried to ban chewing tobacco but with little success. Take the case of gutka, a concoction of raw betel nut mixed with tobacco, which has been banned for some years now. To circumvent this, many tobacco companies started selling gutka discreetly, by selling pan masala paired with a separate sachet of tobacco. Though this may seem harmless, tobacco sold in small portions in a sachet actually facilitates its use primarily amongst teenagers. Many celebrities, from the film industry to sports, campaign for tobacco products, in spite of the repeated persuasion against doing so. Tobacco, sadly, has become an integral part of life in cities and villages.

I specialise in youth outreach programmes by the way of sports. And tobacco consumption is a great impediment to the objective of creating a healthy society that is committed to playing sports. Children and the unemployed youth are hard-pressed for money, and their consumption of tobacco products is highly susceptible to strong fiscal measures.The availability of tobacco products in smaller quantities, in sachets and cigarettes sold by individual sticks, make it accessible to all, even children. Ideally, the government should ban the consumption of tobacco. But, till the time it's done, at least the government should ensure two things. One, those that are 18 years and below are not to be sold any tobacco product. And two, the sale of tobacco products in small quantities, especially sachets which cost merely Rs 5 to 10, should be banned at the earliest. This will effectively curtail the access of tobacco products to sub-adults. No half measures will suffice in the fight against tobacco. Ban tobacco. 

Courtesy: Millennium Post

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It’s possible to quit tobacco

Ex-tobacco addicts gather to drive home the message

They gathered for conveying a message that it is possible for people to be free from addiction to tobacco if they are mentally prepared to say goodbye to a habit which they thought they could never do.

Over 200 people who have come out of their addiction to tobacco who participated in a gathering of ex-tobacco addicts gathered in an auditorium at Thalassery here on Wednesday as part of a anti-tobacco campaign being launched by the Community Oncology Department of the Malabar Cancer Centre (MCC) at Thalassery.

Many of them shared their stories of how they became addicts, what health problems they experienced, and who saved them from the addiction. The initiative of the MCC was named ‘Munnettam’, which is an extension of the Quit Tobacco Clinic that the Oncology Department conducts every Wednesday.

“The purpose of such gatherings is to send across a message that tobacco addiction can be brought to an end,” said Phinse M. Philip, lecturer at the department, who was among those who initiated the drive. There is a scientific way to help a tobacco addict quit the addiction, he said.

The treatment being offered to the addicts as part of the clinic includes nicotine replacement therapy and behaviour modification. According to those involved in the campaign, older among the addicts are smokers while most of the younger addicts are found to be using other tobacco products, especially chewing tobacco.

Chance meeting

“There was hardly any type of tobacco products that I was not addicted to over the past few decades,” said an ex-addict, hailing from Peravur here. It was his chance meeting with Dr. Philips that helped him quit the addiction, said the man who requested anonymity. He continued the habit of chain-smoking even after he developed health issues, he said, adding that he had stopped the habit for the past six years.

Richard Hay, MP, inaugurated the gathering. MCC Director Satheesh Balasubramanian, Mahe MLA V. Ramachandran, and Deputy Superintendent of Police Prince Abraham were among those present at the function.

Source: The Hindu

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Dail 1800 227787 to quit

A National Tobacco Cessation Quit Line - 1800 227787 - is available on all days from 9 am to 9 pm for all those seeking support to quit the butt.

The toll-free Quit Line, launched last World No Tobacco Day, will provide free support and guidance to tobacco users to overcome their addiction and increase their chances of quitting successfully. 

This Quit Line is designed to help tobacco users by answering their queries, formulating a personalised quit plan depending on their tobacco consumption pattern (cigarettes, beedis and other forms of chewing tobacco) and supporting them through the entire 12 week journey of quitting tobacco through a combination of phone calls, SMSs, emails and hand deliveries. 

Callers will receive tobacco cessation counselling in English, Hindi and other languages. 

This free of charge service can be used by all tobacco users, friends and families of tobacco users and even healthcare practitioners seeking to provide tobacco cessation therapy for their patients. 

To support the telephone counselling, callers wanting on-ground support will be referred to a local Tobacco Intervention Initiative (TII) centre of the Indian Dental Association (IDA). At each centre  dentists trained in tobacco cessation will help tobacco users give up their addiction and improve their health. There are 500 TII centres across India.

Source: NWN News

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E Chandrasekharan Nair shows the way!

Where there's a will, there's a way, goes a time-honoured adage. With determination, it is possible to find a recourse for the most difficult of situations, including the addictive tobacco smoking, which to many users seems impossible to give up. 

Tobacco users who are on the lookout for a role model can find a worthy example in Shri E.Chandrasekharan Nair, former Kerala Minister for Food, Tourism and Law. This veteran politician completely quit smoking in 1987, and continues to be a non-user even after three decades now.

He reflects, “I have been through the harsh effects of smoking. The principal reason behind my heart attack was chain smoking. I suffered a heart attack while travelling from Delhi to Trivandrum by air. My doctors convinced me that smoking brought me this hardship, and then I quit smoking.”

Reacting to recent reports that pictorial warnings in packets of tobacco products in India do not comply with international guidelines, Shri Nair said, "Cigarette manufacturers in India are not completely complying with the international guidelines on health warnings, this is intentional. Concerned authorities have to ensure that these guidelines are compulsorily met.”

A report called ‘Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report’ released in the Conference of Parties to the WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) that concluded in Seoul, South Korea on November 17, shows that health warnings in cigarette packets in India only cover 40% of the front face of the packet. This is despite two rounds of revisions of warnings, in 2009 and 2011.

Article 11 of World Health Organisation’s FCTC, which India ratified in 2004, requires that health warnings “should be 50% or more of the principal display areas but shall be no less than 30% of the display areas” – the principal display areas being front and back of the package. 

Image courtesy: The Hindu

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Shibu Baby John gives a noble gift to his mother

Kerala Labour Minister Shri. Shibu Baby John has given a very noble and touching gift to his mother Annamma John, who recently turned 80. 

A three-decade-long smoker, Shri.Shibu made the day special for his mother by giving up his smoking habit. 

"My mother would always admonish me for this habit; I thought there would be no better gift that I could give her. I am determined to give it up once and for all," the Minister has been quoted as saying.

With this special gesture, the Minister has shown the way for hundreds of smokers in Kerala. Love and well-being for near and dear ones can be a strong motivation to quit smoking.

Tobacco Free Kerala salutes Shri.Shibu for giving this special gift to his mother, and thus leading by example!

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'Life Se Panga Mat Le Yaar' may trigger quitting behaviour

It can be a fair bet that tobacco users who saw or heard popular playback singer Shaan's lilting song 'Life Se Panga Mat Le Yaar' would have given a serious thought to quitting this addictive habit, as evidenced by findings of a recent study conducted by UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies.

The study, 'The impact of media campaigns on smoking cessation activity: A Structural Vector Autoregression Analysis,' concluded that tobacco control media campaigns appear to be more effective at triggering quitting behaviour than pharmaceutical company NRT campaigns.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of tobacco control media campaigns and pharmaceutical company-funded advertising for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) on smoking cessation activity.  

It used tobacco control campaign data from the Central Office of Information and commercial NRT campaign data. Data on calls to the NHS stop smoking helpline from the Department of Health. Point of Sale data on over-the-counter (OTC) sales of NRT and Prescribing data from The Health Improvement Network (THIN), a database of UK primary care records were also used.

Coming back to 'Life Se Pang Mat Le Yaar', this video was created as part of the tobacco control campaign of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The track is targeted towards youth and adolescents all over the country and sends a strong message that life without tobacco is a life worth living.

The music video has Shaan dancing with children, encouraging them to take all problems in their stride and not to make things worse for themselves by consuming tobacco. Hence, tobacco use is a “panga” they can well live without.

The entire video has a very pro-life stance, is youth centric and speaks of their dreams and aspirations. 

The Ministry had in May 2011 appointed Shaan as the tobacco control ambassador of India.

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SHS may hinder quit attempts

Second-hand smoke (SHS) is not only harmful for health, it also hinders attempts at quitting the dangersome smoking habit, a recent study has shown. 


The study published in the latest issue of the reputed Nicotine and Tobacco Research journal shows that any SHS exposure at home was associated with 28%  and 53% lower odds of quit attempts and smoking cessation, respectively. 


Of 4,361 students who had smoked in the past 12 months, 70.3% were living with smokers and 52.8% were exposed to SHS at home. 


Researchers of the University of Hong Kong covered students from 85 randomly selected secondary schools in Hong Kong to understand the associations of smoking family and second-hand smoke exposure to home with quit and smoking cessation attempts among adolescents. 


The students were surveyed using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire on SHS exposure at home and outside the home in the past seven days, quit attempts, smoking cessation, socio-demographic and smoking status of family members and peers. 


Image courtesy: Wikipedia

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Chulbul Pandey for tobacco control

Chulbul Pandey, the super-hero do-gooder character of Dabaang is all for tobacco control. In the embedded clip, he is seen giving money to a hospitalised man, who has lost the powers to use his left hand.
 
As if in re-assurance, Chulbul points out a benefit of losing his hand - of not being able to consume tobacco. The man's wife readily concurs - and rightly so. 

We need more characters like Chulbul Pandey to spread the message on the dangerous fall-outs of tobacco use. Dabaang 2 is in the making and here's hoping that Chulbul would continue to take up this noble cause. 

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Quit Smoking for Benefits Aplenty

For smokers, quitting might seem an impossible task to achieve. But experts say that it is possible to quit, with will and determination. 


To begin with, smokers should distance themselves from factors that induces craving such as seeing a lighter or an ashtray. Also keep away from the company of other smokers or people using tobacco.


Smokers can seek support of near and dear ones to replenish motivation levels. Counselling and advice from doctors/health workers is effective in helping smokers quit, as a recent study in Palakkad has shown. 


The Health Worker Guide of National Tobacco Control Programme has listed the following benefits - immediate and long-term - from quitting. The immediate benefit is that smokers start to feel better and food tastes better. 


Two hours after quitting, nicotine is out of the system. Carbon monoxide is out of the system and lung function begins to improve after 12 hours.


Two days hence, sense of smell improves; physical activity becomes easier and more air gets into the lungs. Lung works more efficiently and is able to remove mucous after two months, besides improving blood flow to limbs. 


The risk of heart disease is halved in 12 months, as compared to a continuing smoker. 


The risk of lung cancer is less than half that of a continuing smoker in 10 years. By the 15th year, the risk of heart attack and stroke is almost the same as a person who has never smoked.


Take heart, quit smoking!


Image courtesy: About.com

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