Crippling tobacco industry

Tobacco industry makes a crippling effect on India. On the face of it, this may sound indignant as the tobacco industry contributes $1.62 billion annually, largely from cigarette-tax revenue, as per Planning Commission's figures.


A more detailed understanding of the subject would reveal that the annual direct health cost of three tobacco- related diseases (cancer, coronary artery diseases and chronic obstructive lung diseases) is $6.32 billion.


All the more debilitating is the fact that the Indian tobacco industry uses 1.7 million child labourers in the bidi rolling sector. The industry favours children for they are more agile at rolling bidis.


For all their hard work, children earn less than $2 a day. Body pain and posture problems due to long hours (10-14) of sitting the same position and exposure to lung diseases like tuberculosis and asthma are just some of the bonuses!


Besides, the children are deprived their rightful education and a chance to live their childhood.


Little wonder on the productivity loss that the country will face when 1.7 million children grow up without education or any other life-enhancing skills!


Image courtesy and source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southasia/view/1207174/1/.html
Ref: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-29/india/31254073_1_tobacco-production-world-lung-foundation-cigarette-production

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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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'Cool' cigarettes may cause harsh cancers

For many, smoking is a status symbol and a style statement. The more the brand appeal of the cigarette, the more bulkier the purse of the smoker, so it is believed. 


Smokers are heard boasting away about their cherished brand - its texture, aroma and or smoothness.

A category of cigarettes that finds favour by avid smokers for their smoothness is the menthol cigarettes. They are much sought after by avid smokers as they help to disguise the harsh taste of tobacco and create a cool feeling in the mouth and throat.


But studies have shown this apparent coolness and smoothness trigger increased disease-incidence.


Specifically, a study titled 'Effect of menthol on the penetration of tobacco carcinogens and nicotine across porcine oral mucosa ex vivo,' published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research revealed that presence of menthol increased the flux of tobacco carcinogens.


Porcine buccal (BM) and floor of mouth (FM) mucosa permeability of tobacco-related nitrosamine, NNN was significantly increased with addition of menthol.


Menthol, a monocyclic terpene alcohol that occurs naturally in the plants of the Mentha species and is the major component of peppermint oil, improves taste in smoke and reduces its harshness.


This encourages deeper inhalation and longer retention of cigarette smoke in the lungs that, in turn, could increase tar exposure and the amount of tobacco carcinogens (TCs) entering the blood stream.


So beware all smokers, your cigarette may be 'cool', but there's no escaping the harshness of cancer.


Source: Nicotine & Tobacco Research

Image courtesy: Hispanically Speaking News

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