About 44.1% of men and 8.4% of women (both above 15-years of age) consume some form of tobacco in UP, reveals the national family health survey-V (NFHS-5) data.
Those who smoke not only harm their own body, but also others who are present nearby, experts said.
“When someone lights a cigarette or a bidi, 30% of the smoke goes into his lungs and the remaining 70% hovers around and is inhaled by others including family members,” said Dr Surya Kant, HoD, respiratory medicine at the King George’s Medical University (KGMU) and member state tobacco control cell.
This is the first-time data on tobacco was collected in NFHS. In Lucknow, the data says 39.2% of men above 15-years of age and 7.7% of women above 15-years of age consume some kind of tobacco.
“Among the most severe adverse impact of tobacco usage is lung cancer, while the impact that is commonly observed is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart ailment and overall reduction in individual’s performance,” said Dr Rajendra Prasad, vice-chairman, National Task Force (RNTCP) India and former director of Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi.
“Among the elderly, the impact of second-hand smoke is even worse. As elderlies stay indoors for a major part of the day those suffering from breathing trouble can inhale harmful smoke from the cigarette leading to chronic coughing. The damage can be done with just one cigarette,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary-general association of international doctors.
{{/usCountry}}“Among the elderly, the impact of second-hand smoke is even worse. As elderlies stay indoors for a major part of the day those suffering from breathing trouble can inhale harmful smoke from the cigarette leading to chronic coughing. The damage can be done with just one cigarette,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary-general association of international doctors.
{{/usCountry}}Consuming cigarettes, tobacco chewing, hookah, betel leaf with tobacco, reverse smoking, household, and traffic pollutants, are the main causes of lung cancer, said Dr Prasad.
At the Balrampur hospital on Monday, an awareness programme was organised in which people who had decided to quit tobacco consumption were felicitated. Hospital director Dr Alok Srivastava and chief medical superintendent Dr GP Gupta spoke on the health issues related to tobacco consumption.
Dr Rajnigandha, the advisor at the tobacco cessation clinic said since 2015 when the centre came up 20000 people have taken services/consultancy from the experts.
Other events
The Lucknow Cancer Institute and Health Education Awareness and Learning (HEAL) will jointly organise an awareness rally on Tuesday from the institute till 1090 crossing. The rally will be flagged off by institute director Nirmala Pant.
The Indian Medical Association, Lucknow branch, will organise a seminar at IMA Bhavan on Tuesday at 3 pm on the topic ‘Tobacco a threat to our planet,’ informed Dr PK Gupta, former president of IMA, Lucknow.
Survey findings
44.1% of men and 8.4% of women (both) above 15-years of age consume some form of tobacco in UP
39.2% of men and 7.7% of women (both) above 15-years of age use any kind of tobacco in Lucknow