Last week, 31st May was World No Tobacco Day. But for a country with 253 million smokers, it’s bound to be just another mundane day. For years, we have consciously and subconsciously converted this pathetic habit into some elite gestures, a sign of intellectual attitude. Our detectives, our rowdy heroes are chain smokers. That’s what makes it difficult for us to understand the gravity of the health burden smoking causes. Almost every smoker has taken his/her first puff just out of curiosity and to look cool in front of friends. But once addicted, it ensues a vicious cycle till death.
How much dangerous is smoking? Yeah, we all know. The smoke irritates our respiratory system. We catch, we develop bronchitis and other chest diseases, and if unlucky enough, we get diagnosed with lung cancer. But sadly, even these grave conditions are just the tip of the iceberg. Smoking is a risk factor for every metabolic disease, be it diabetes, be it hypertension, or high cholesterol. Kidney injury, peripheral vascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Ulcerative colitis; you name the disease and smoking is there to play. Even conditions like stress, anxiety, and chronic pain get multifold acceleration by regular inhalation of nicotine smoke. So it’s high time we question ourselves. How long would we masquerade a silly dangerous addiction to something cool? Isn’t the smoke too heavy to carry throughout the life?
Raktim Mukherjee
