Dr Gautam Sharma
World No Tobacco Day is observed every year on 31st May to inform the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.
The Member States of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes. In 1987, the World Health Assembly passed Resolution WHA40.38, calling for 7 April 1988 to be a “a world no-smoking day.” In 1988, Resolution WHA42.19 was passed, calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, every year on 31 May.
World No Tobacco Day 2024 will give a platform to young people across the world, who are urging governments to shield them from predatory tobacco marketing tactics. The industry targets youth for a lifetime of profits, creating a new wave of addiction. As per WHO, children are using e-cigarettes at rates higher than adults in all regions and globally an estimated 37 million youth aged 13-15 years use tobacco.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and STOP, a global tobacco industry watchdog, have launched “Hooking the next generation,” a report highlighting how the tobacco and nicotine industry designs products, implements marketing campaigns and works to shape policy environments to help them addict the world’s youth.
The report shows that globally an estimated 37 million children aged 13-15 years use tobacco, and in many countries, the rate of e-cigarette use among adolescents exceeds that of adults. In the WHO European Region, 20% of 15-year-olds surveyed reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.
Despite significant progress in reducing tobacco use, the emergence of e-cigarettes and other new tobacco and nicotine products present a grave threat to youth and tobacco control. Studies demonstrate that e-cigarette use increases conventional cigarette use, particularly among non-smoking youth, by nearly three times.
“History is repeating, as the tobacco industry tries to sell the same nicotine to our children in different packaging,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “These industries are actively targeting schools, children and young people with new products that are essentially a candy-flavoured trap. How can they talk about harm reduction when they are marketing these dangerous, highly-addictive products to children?”
These industries continue to market their products to young people with enticing flavours like candy and fruit. Research in the United States of America found that more than 70% of youth e-cigarette users would quit if the products were only available in tobacco flavour.
Smoked tobacco, and in particular, cigarette smoking, is the most popular method of using tobacco. Smoked tobacco is the most common method for nicotine delivery. Smoked tobacco is available in various forms, such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes, bidis, hookah, and others. According to the American Lung Association, a burning cigarette produces more than 7000 chemicals, of which 69 are carcinogens (cancer causing).
Smoking is directly responsible for approximately 90% of lung cancer deaths and about 80% of deaths caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It harms nearly every organ in the body and is associated with coronary heart disease, stroke, and various other cancers and diseases.
Chewing tobacco, also known as smokeless tobacco, is an umbrella term, which includes dry snuff, moist snuff, betel quid, gutkha, zarda, khaini etc. and is associated with a multitude of health risks. It contains nicotine and at least 28 known carcinogens, including tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, arsenic, benzopyrene, nickel, and cadmium. Regular users face an increased risk of developing cancers of the oral cavity, esophagus, pancreas, and stomach. Additionally, it can lead to gum diseases, gum recession, leukoplakia (which are white patches inside the mouth that can become cancerous), tooth abrasion, staining, decay, and loss. Despite some misconceptions, no form of smokeless tobacco is safe, and even products like snus, despite being steam-heated, still contain harmful cancer-causing chemicals. The addictive nature of nicotine in chewing tobacco also poses a challenge for users trying to quit, as it is absorbed more slowly but in larger amounts compared to cigarettes, leading to prolonged exposure and increased difficulty in cessation.
By working together, governments, public health organizations, civil society, and empowered youth can create a world where the next generation is free from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine addiction.
(The author is President of Indian Dental Association (IDA), Jammu)
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