May 31st is observed as the World No Tobacco Day. Every year, on 31 May, WHO and its partners, including the World Heart Federation (WHF), mark World No Tobacco Day to highlight the health and other risks associated with tobacco use and advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. This day is celebrated to create awareness among people about effects of chewing tobacco and smoking that causes cancer and many other diseases.
Bhavans celebrated ‘World No Tobacco Day ‘on the 31st of May, by conducting a lecture for the students of class 8.Adolesecence is a sensitive phase during one’s growth-a phase which can make them or break them. Guiding the youth in the right path is very crucial during this phase of life and hence the students of class 8 were given a very informative presentation by Dr.Susovana Sujith Nair, Oncologist KCCC breast unit, a very eminent persona in her chosen field and an eloquent speaker.
Tobacco use is the world’s leading cause of preventable death. Research shows 90 percent of adult smokers picked up their first cigarette when they were kids. The best way to prevent smoking-related deaths is to prevent children from picking up the habit.
Children and cigarette smoking are a bad combination. Children start smoking for a variety of reasons. Some think it makes them look cool, appear older, fit in with other kids or seem tough. Some do it just to feel independent.
Dr.Susovana Sujith Nair enlightened the students on the impact of tobacco and nicotine on various organs of the body.The amount of life expectancy lost for each pack of cigarettes smoked is 28 minutes, and the years of life expectancy a typical smoker loses is 25 years. Every cigarette a man smokes reduces his life by 11 minutes. People who use tobacco products or who are regularly around environmental tobacco smoke (also called secondhand smoke) have an increased risk of cancer because tobacco products and secondhand smoke have many chemicals that damage DNA.
She elaborated on the different types of cancers that are caused due to smoking. She sensitized the students on secondary smoking and its impact. Inhaling secondhand smoke causes lung cancer in nonsmoking adults. Secondhand smoking is associated with disease and premature death in nonsmoking adults and children. Exposure to secondhand smoking irritates the airways and has immediate harmful effects on a person’s heart and blood vessels. It may increase the risk of heart disease by an estimated 25 to 30 percent. Doctor Susovana also highlighted the fact that among the different types of cancers the one caused due to smoking is the one which can be easily prevented.
The presentation was followed by an interactive session. The students came up with different interesting queries for which Doctor Susovana had very clear and informative answers. As a concluding remark she urged the students to be messengers in conveying the information regarding smoking to their parents, relatives or friends who are into smoking. The session ended with a note of gratitude which was rendered by Ms.Anselma Tessy Head of the Department of Biology.