More than 8 million people meet their demise through the use of tobacco. Out of which, 7 million of those deaths are through direct use of tobacco. To combat this deadly epidemic, World Health Organisation has declared 31st May as World No Tobacco Day.

The day is marked by raising awareness among the general masses. People are informed about the dangers of tobacco consumption. It was created in 1987 to gain the attention of the population to the harmful effects of tobacco.

In India, Tobacco is consumed by nearly 267 million people, which is 29% of the total population. It is mainly consumed in the form of haini, gutkha, betel quid with tobacco and zarda, bidi, cigarette and hookah. Almost 1.35 million people die through the use of tobacco every year.

It is extremely saddening to see millions of people waste their life and potential by using tobacco. Hence, we at Child Help Foundation, are making a small effort to encourage people to stop using tobacco.

So, here are some reasons why you should abstain from using tobacco.

Chemicals persisting in smoke tobacco can have extremely harmful effects.

Nicotine present in tobacco can narrow your arteries and veins, which can damage your heart by forcing it to work harder and faster. It also can slow your blood and reduce oxygen to your blood and feet. Meanwhile, Carbon Monoxide deprives your heart of oxygen. Sticky substances like Tar cover up your lungs in soot. Phenols paralyse and eliminate hair-like cells in your body. Ammonia and Formaldehyde cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. Tobacco can also be the reason for irritation in your throat and lungs, and cause abnormal growth of cells, which can lead to cancer.

Over a period of time, smoking affects your look as well. Yellow-Brown stains on fingers, tongue and teeth, tooth loss, bad breath, saggy skin, early wrinkles, and loss of shine in hair can all be expected through smoking tobacco.

Lastly, smoking tobacco can cause premature death and reduced life expectancy. People around you can also develop harmful effects through inhalation of secondhand smoke.

While smokeless tobacco is generally considered harmless, that is far from the case. Smokeless tobacco can lead to the development of white or grey particles inside the mouth, which is called leukoplakia. It can cause cancer.

Gum disease, Tooth Decay and Tooth loss are some of the outcomes of smokeless tobacco. Premature Delivery and stillbirth have also been observed in users of smokeless tobacco. Consumption during pregnancy can also lead to development issues in newborn babies. Increased risk of cardiac diseases and stroke is generally observed in consumers of smokeless tobacco, and nicotine poising is found as well.

Though the use of tobacco can be harmful, it is extremely difficult to quit smoking due to experiences of withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, there are a lot of de-addiction programmes available. 1800-11-2356 is a toll-free number available from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M., or you can give a missed call at 011-22901701. Rehabs has compiled a list of rehabilitation centres which can be helpful to quit tobacco addiction.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Please share this with your friends and family members to warn them about the usage of tobacco.