Tobacco use has been a significant
public health issue for decades, and it has a profound impact on youth and
children. Despite the well-known health risks associated with tobacco use, many
young people continue to smoke or use other tobacco products. The use of
tobacco products has a profound impact on the health and well-being of young
people. Tobacco use is a significant public health concern in India,
contributing to a high burden of diseases and premature deaths. According to
data from the Global Burden of Disease study, in 2019, tobacco use accounted
for an estimated 1.3 million deaths in India.
Here are some of the specific ways
that tobacco use can impact youth and children:
·
Nicotine, the primary addictive
substance in tobacco, is highly addictive, and young people are particularly
vulnerable to its effects. In fact, research has shown that 90% of adult
smokers started smoking before the age of 18. Once addicted, it can be very
difficult to quit.
·
The brain continues to develop well into young
adulthood, and tobacco use during this time can have a negative impact on
cognitive function, memory, and attention span.
·
Tobacco use is associated with a range of
chronic diseases, including lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory
illnesses like emphysema and bronchitis.
·
Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke
are at an increased risk of developing respiratory illnesses, ear infections,
and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
On
31 May 2023, WHO and public health
champions around the world will come together to celebrate World No Tobacco
Day (WNTD). This year’s theme is “We need food, not tobacco”. The 2023
global campaign aims to raise awareness about alternative crop production and
marketing opportunities for tobacco farmers and encourage them to grow
sustainable, nutritious crops. The growing food crisis is driven by conflicts
and wars, climatic shocks, and the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic. Structural causes like the choice of crop also have an impact, and a
look into tobacco growing reveals how it contributes to increased food
insecurity:
- Across the globe around
3.5 million hectares of land are converted for tobacco growing
each year. Growing tobacco also contributes to deforestation of
200 000 hectares a year.
- Tobacco growing is
resource intensive and requires heavy use of pesticides and fertilizers,
which contribute to soil degradation.
- Land used for growing
tobacco then has a lower capacity for growing other crops, such as food,
since tobacco depletes soil fertility.
- Compared with other
agricultural activities such as maize growing and even livestock grazing,
tobacco farming has a far more destructive impact on ecosystems as tobacco
farmlands are more prone to desertification.
Any
profits to be gained from tobacco as a cash crop may not offset the damage done
to sustainable food production in low- and middle-income countries. The
intensive handling of insecticides and toxic chemicals during the cultivation
of tobacco contributes to many farmers and their families suffering from ill
health and the child labour that is often woven into tobacco cultivation
interferes with the right to education .Nine of the 10 largest tobacco
cultivators are low- and middle-income countries, and 4 of these are defined as
low-income food-deficit countries. Land used to grow tobacco could be more
efficiently used to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 –
zero hunger.The 2023 WNTD campaign calls on governments and policy-makers to
step up legislation, develop suitable policies and strategies, and enable
market conditions for tobacco farmers to shift to growing food crops that would
provide them and their families with a better life.
Preventing
tobacco use among young people is a critical public health goal. Here are some
strategies that can help prevent tobacco use and intervene when it does occur:
·
Educating young people about the
dangers of tobacco use and the negative impact it can have on their health can
be an effective way to prevent them from starting.
·
Creating smoke-free environments,
such as schools, parks, and public spaces, can help reduce exposure to
secondhand smoke.
·
Complete ban of designated places
for smoking in public places.
·
Restricting access to tobacco
products by raising the minimum age to purchase or use tobacco upto 21Years ,
as well as increasing taxes on tobacco products, can help reduce use among
young people.
- Banning the sale of
single sticks of cigarettes so that they will be more expensive for
children and youth will reduce their use.
- Regulation of tobacco
depletion in OTT Platform
Tobacco use is a significant
public health issue that has a profound impact on the health and well-being of
young people. Preventing tobacco use among young people should be a priority
for public health officials, educators, parents, and the community at large. By
raising awareness, creating smoke-free environments, restricting access, and
providing cessation resources, we can help reduce tobacco use among youth and
prevent the negative health consequences associated with it.
Anuradha Mohanty
Executive Director, PECUC
anuradhabbsr2015@gmail.com
