| SAY ! "NO TO TOBACCO" | | | | of the harmful number of beneficial and some |
| | | | of the harmful brain and body mechanisms |
| Statutory Warning : Cigarette smoking is | | | | example synapse formation, drug tolerance and |
| injurious to health | | | | local regulation of cerebral blood flow, |
| | | | Parkinson's disease etc. It is also found |
| Tobacco is deadly in any form. According to | | | | people who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a |
| WHO report, nearly 10,000 people die everyday | | | | day have poorer memories and middle age than |
| across the world due to smoking related | | | | non-smokers. Some experts say that smoking |
| diseases. Smokers comprise 1.5 billion or | | | | is linked to memory problems because it |
| one-fifth of the humanity. The life | | | | contributes to narrowed arteries that |
| expectancy of a smoker reduces by 6.6 years | | | | restrict blood flow to the brain. One of the |
| and even non-smokers are threatened, facing | | | | causes of memory decline in relation to the |
| exposure to the 'environmental tobacco smoke' | | | | brain function could be the nerve-cell death, |
| produced by smokers. | | | | or decreased density of interconnected |
| | | | neuronal network due to loss of dendrites, |
| The major ill effect of tobacco was reported | | | | the tine filaments which connect one nerve |
| first by the Director General of Health, | | | | cell to another. Abstain from smoking is |
| U.S.A. way back in 1945. Ever since, there | | | | essential not only to avoid this systemic |
| are more than 100 scientifically proven | | | | effects but also to reduce the ill effects on |
| articles that clearly suggest smoking is | | | | the environment. |
| injurious to health. Smoking is the major | | | | |
| cause of mortality with bronchogenic | | | | CANCER FROM TOBACCO : |
| carcinoma of the lung and one of the factors | | | | |
| causing death due to malignancies of larynx, | | | | Cancer is a dreaded disease and sufferings of |
| oral cavity, ocsophagus, bladder, kidney, | | | | the patients are enormous. Moreover, it also |
| pancreas, stomach and uterine cervix and | | | | requires a lot of money to treat it. The |
| coronary heart diseases. | | | | only wise way is to prevent its occurrence |
| | | | and it is possible if tobacco usage is |
| Cigarettes can act as an agent quickly | | | | stopped. The notable cancers which are |
| delivering the naturally occurring alkaloid | | | | caused by tobacco consumption are mouth, |
| nicotine to the body. A typical smoker will | | | | throat, voice box, lung, pancreas, urinary |
| take 10 puffs of a cigarette and if such | | | | bladder, kidney and uterine cervix. |
| person smokes 10 to 15 cigarettes a day and | | | | |
| it will send approximately 1 mg per cigarette | | | | Cancer of mouth and throat : Smoking |
| of nicotine daily to the brain. Nicotine is | | | | cigarettes, pipes and cigars is a risk factor |
| the major substance present in the smoke that | | | | for all cancers associated with the larynx, |
| causes physical dependence. | | | | oral cavity and esophagus. Over 90% of the |
| | | | patients with oral cancer use tobacco by |
| The principal ingredients consumed during | | | | either smoking or chewing it. Oral cancer |
| smoking of tobacco include nicotine, tar and | | | | includes cancer of the lips, tongue, mouth |
| carbon monoxide. It causes an increased risk | | | | and those who smoke pipes or cigars |
| of cardiovascular disease such as coronary | | | | experience a risk similar to that of |
| heart disease and stroke, lung and other | | | | cigarette smokers. |
| forms of cancer and respiratory diseases such | | | | |
| as chronic bronchitis. Smoking diminishes | | | | Lung Cancer : Lung Caner kills more people |
| fertility in women and increases the risk of | | | | than any other type of cancer and at least |
| ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, pre-born | | | | 80% of these deaths are caused by smoking. |
| birth, pre-clampsia and still birth. The | | | | The risk of lung cancer increases directly |
| combination of smoking and oral contraceptive | | | | with the number of cigarettes smoked. The |
| is dangerous. The Tar component in | | | | risk dying from lung cancer increases with |
| cigarettes associated with a proportional | | | | the number of cigarettes smoked per day. |
| increase in lung cancer. It is the stuff | | | | |
| that stains fingers and turns teeth yellow. | | | | Breast Cancer : There is growing evidence of |
| | | | a link between both active and passive |
| Levulinic acid, added to cigarettes to mark | | | | smoking and breast cancer. Seven of eight |
| the harsh taste of the nicotine, can increase | | | | published studies examining passive smoking |
| the binding of nicotine to brain receptors, | | | | and breast cancer suggest an increased risk |
| which increases the 'kick' of nicotine. | | | | of breast cancer. |
| Smoke from the burning end of a cigarette | | | | |
| contains 4,000 chemicals and 43 carcinogens. | | | | Cervical Cancer : A study in Sweden found |
| It has long been known that tobacco smoke is | | | | that smoking was the second most significant |
| carcinogenic, or cancer causing. | | | | behavioural/lifestyle factor after Human |
| | | | Papilloma Virus in causing cervical cancer. |
| The lungs of smokers collect an unusual | | | | |
| deposit of 1 to ½ pounds of black | | | | GIVING UP SMOKING THROUGH MEDICINES : |
| material. Like many carcinogenic compounds, | | | | |
| they can act as tumour promoters or tumour | | | | The most common form of nicotine replacement |
| initiators by acting directly on the genetic | | | | medicine is available as flavoured chewing |
| make up of cells of the body and development | | | | gum or a skin patch. It is used for up to 12 |
| of cancer. | | | | - 20 weeks as a part of supervised step in |
| | | | smoking cessation programme. It is not |
| A few drops of pure nicotine, weighing around | | | | suitable for use during pregnancy and |
| 60 mg, on the tongue can kill a healthy | | | | breast-feeding. Smoking needs to be avoided |
| adult. Cigarettes usually contain 0.5 - 2.0 | | | | at the time of taking these medicines as |
| mg of nicotine depending upon the brand. | | | | combination may cause overdosing of nicotine. |
| Nicotine dependence is the central factor in | | | | Nicotine skin patches deliver very small, |
| the continuation of smoking behaviour. | | | | measured and tapering doses of nicotine. |
| | | | Nicotine gum, available in different |
| WHAT'S IN A CIGARETTE ? | | | | strengths, delivers nicotine that is absorbed |
| | | | through mucous membrace of the mouth. An |
| Anti-cigarette lobbies claim that a | | | | anti dressant drug that allays withdrawal |
| cigarette, either as additives or as | | | | symptoms has helped smokers stay of |
| compounds created while smoking, has nearly | | | | cigarettes. |
| 4,000 chemicals. At least 43 of the | | | | |
| ingredients are carcinogenic (cancer | | | | There are no harmful effects in putting a |
| causing). Here is a sampling of the | | | | sudden end to smoking tobacco. The problems |
| ingredients/components produced: | | | | caused by stopping tobacco are temporary and |
| | | | will last only 5 to 7 days. |
| - Acetic Acid (corrosive to respiratory | | | | |
| tract) | | | | ( consult a doctor before you use any of |
| | | | them. Some of these require prescriptions ) |
| - Acetone (used in nail polish removers) | | | | |
| | | | HOW TO AVOID CIGARETTES ? |
| - Ammonia (used in floor and toilet cleaners) | | | | |
| | | | - Postpone each cigarette by one hour |
| - Arsenic ( a poison) | | | | |
| | | | - Do not buy in packs |
| - Cadmium (car battery fluid) | | | | |
| | | | - Do not keep a stock of cigarettes |
| - Carbon Monoxide ( interferes with the | | | | |
| supply of oxygen in the blood to the | | | | - Tell your family, friends and colleagues |
| rest of the body) | | | | that you are going to quit tobacco and ash |
| | | | trays in your house. |
| - DDT/dielderon ( insecticides) | | | | |
| | | | - Make your home and your living environment |
| - Ethanol ( alcohol) | | | | a tobacco free zone. |
| | | | |
| - Formalin (used in preserving human tissue | | | | BENEFITS OF QUITTING SMOKING : |
| and fabric) | | | | |
| | | | - With in one hour - Blood pressure falls and |
| - Hexamine (used in explosive compounds) | | | | circulation starts improving |
| | | | |
| - Hydrogen Cyanide (poison) | | | | - One day - Lungs start to clean out mucus |
| | | | and other derbis |
| - Methane ( petroleum gas) | | | | |
| | | | - One week - Bronchial passages relax making |
| - Naphthalene (used in moth balls) | | | | breathing easier |
| | | | |
| - Nicotine (schedule 6 poison) | | | | - One Month - Circulation improves throughout |
| | | | the whole body |
| - Nitro Benzene ( a petrol additive) | | | | |
| | | | - One Year - Lung function improves 5 to 10 |
| - Phenols (used in disinfectants) | | | | percent |
| | | | |
| - Stearic Acid (used in candle wax) | | | | - Ten Years - Risk of lung cancer falls to |
| | | | half that of a smoker and risk of heart |
| - Toluene (industrial solvent) | | | | attack falls to the same as non smoker |
| | | | |
| - Vinyl Chloride (used in PVC) | | | | WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY : |
| | | | |
| EFFECT OF NICOTINE ON HUMAN BODY: | | | | World No Tobacco Day is celebrated around the |
| | | | world every year on May 31. The Member |
| During smoking, within first 8-10 seconds | | | | States of the World Health Organisation |
| nicotine is absorbed through the lungs and | | | | created World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw |
| quickly moved into the blood stream and | | | | global attention to the tobacco epidemic and |
| circulated throughout the brain. Nicotine | | | | the preventable death and disease it causes. |
| can also enter the blood stream through the | | | | In 1987, the World Health Assembly passed |
| mucous membranes that line the mouth (if | | | | Resolution calling for 7th April 1988 to be a |
| tobacco chewed) or nose (if snuff is used) | | | | " World No-smoking day". In 1988, |
| and even through the skin. | | | | Resolution WHA 42.19 was passed, calling for |
| | | | the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, |
| SMOKING LEADS TO LOSS OF MEMORY : | | | | every year on 31 May. |
| | | | |
| Nitric Oxide (NO) is a unique molecule which | | | | K.V.RAMANA MURTHYramanamurty9967@yahoo.co. |
| plays a role in number of beneficial and some | | | | |