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