Tobacco use among youth and adolescents in any form is an issue that affects countries worldwide. While the extent to which is viewed as a negative health behavior may vary across different nations. Tobacco consumption is one of the most important preventable causes of premature death in the world. Smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products causes nicotine addiction. Numerous factors are associated with adolescent smoking including age, parental smoking, socioeconomic status, peer smoking, attitudes of family and friends, school factors and stress.
More than 6 million people per year die from tobacco use across the globe. According to World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco use is responsible for the death of one in ten adults worldwide and millions develop tobacco attributed illnesses resulting in chronic disability.
Around 160,000 people die due to tobacco-caused diseases in Pakistan every year. Tobacco consumption is common in Pakistan where 19.1% of adults used tobacco products including 12.4% smoker and 7.7% smokeless tobacco users. It is estimated that the prevalence of tobacco smoking is 36% for males and 9% for females among young adults especially the university students in Pakistan. Approximately 1,200 children start smoking every day.
Tobacco use is habitual use of the tobacco plant leaf and its products. The predominant use of tobacco is by smoke inhalation of cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Smokeless tobacco refers to a variety of tobacco products that are sniffed, sucked, or chewed. Tobacco product use is started and established primarily during adolescence.
Pakistan is one of the largest tobacco-consuming countries in the world. Tobacco use is common here in many forms such as manufactured cigarettes, water pipe (hookah/shisha), chewing pan with betel nut and tobacco, Pan masala, naswar, chalia mixed with Tobacco, main puri & gutka. Furthermore, in many areas smoking cigarettes is seen as less socially acceptable than chewing tobacco.
Cigarette smoking in childhood and young adults has immediate adverse health consequences, including addiction, and accelerates the development of chronic diseases across the full life course. Smoking also causes exposure to a lethal mixture of more than 7000 toxic chemicals, including at least 70 known carcinogens that can damage nearly every organ system in the human body. Smoking also causes short breath and to have less stamina, both of which can affect athletic performance physically. Over time smoking increases risk of stroke, heart attack, exacerbates asthma and produces chronic cough. Every Cigarette brings smoker, 11 minutes closer to death
Smokeless tobacco is equally addictive. Chewable tobacco can lead to tightening of the jaw which eventually progresses to oral cancer. The amount of nicotine absorbed from smokeless tobacco is 3-4 times the amount delivered by a cigarette. The longer one keeps tobacco in his mouth the greater the chances of getting oral cancer. Moreover, the size of his mouth shrinks due to stiffness of its muscles that he cannot eat properly and depends on liquid items. The condition also renders him speechless; he can hardly speak a word in clarity.
In addition, passive smoking or second-hand smoke is the inhaling of smoke from tobacco products used by others when at home, public gatherings in transport or work place. Passive smoking is also very hazardous. Adults exposed to secondhand smoke may experience cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure, Lung cancer, asthma and frequent coughing.
Since tobacco has several harmful effects and it slowly destroys each and every organ of the body. It is considered as slow suicide. The Holy Qur’an gives behavioral guidance.
“Do not kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily Allah hath been to you Most Merciful!” 4:29
“But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters”. 7:31
Smoking and other tobacco products cause serious and complicated addiction that is one of the biggest challenges for tobacco users to quit. There is a need for some interventions to help youth quit smoking. Mass media campaigns, comprehensive community programs, and comprehensive statewide tobacco control programs can prevent the initiation of tobacco use and reduce its prevalence among youth. Smoking cessation can help to reduce individual health risks and long-term, systemic health-care costs.
Someone who feels supported is more likely to quit smoking for good. In this regard friends, family members, and significant others can play a big part in helping a person become tobacco free.
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