Tobacco Abuse.pdf

7/30/2019 Tobacco Abuse.pdf

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Tobacco use in India:

An evil with many faces

Creation of this material was made possible

in part by a pioneering grant from CBCC-USA.

India Cancer InitiativeDistributed by


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obacco has been used in India or centuries.t

Early orms o tobacco were limited to chewingt

tobacco leaves or smoking tobacco. oday, several

products made o, or containing tobacco, are

available in the market.

More than 4,000 diferent chemicals have been oundt

in tobacco and tobacco smoke. More than 60 o thesechemicals are known to cause cancer (carcinogens).

Nicotine is a drug ound in tobacco. It is highlyt

addictive as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Over

time, a person becomes physically and emotionally

addicted to, or dependent on, nicotine.

Almost 30 percent o the Indian population oldert

than age 15 uses some orm o tobacco. Men use

more smoked tobacco than smokeless tobacco.

Women are more likely to use smokeless (chewed)

tobacco. Beedis are smoked more than cigarettes.


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Smoked tobacco in IndiaBeedis: Crushed and dried tobacco is wrappedin tendu leaves and rolled into a beedi. Beedis are

smaller in size than the regular company-made

cigarettes so more beedis are smoked to achieve the

desired eeling caused by nicotine. Beedi smokers

are at least at an equal risk o developing cancers as

cigarette smokers due to use o smoked tobacco.

Beedi making is a source o livelihood or many

amilies. In some amilies, everyone including

children helps make beedis. Te requent inhalation

o tobacco akes has similar efects as the actual use

o the tobacco product. Tereore, these amilies have

an increased risk o lung diseases and cancers o thedigestive tract. And, addiction is common among

these amilies.


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Cigarettes and cigars: A cigar is a roll o tobacco

wrapped in lea tobacco, and a cigarette is a roll o

tobacco wrapped in paper. Cigarettes may come withlters, as thins, low-tar, menthol, and avored to

entice more users, including women and youth and

also to suggest the cigarettes have a lower health risk,

which they do not. Many people view cigar smoking

as less dangerous than cigarette smoking. Yet one

large cigar can contain as much tobacco as an entire

pack o cigarettes.

Cigarette smoking is more common in the urban

areas o India, and cigar use is seen in the big cities.

Cigarette smoking in on the rise and is now also seen

among teenage girls and young women.

Chillum: Tis involves smoking tobacco in a clay pipe.Chillum smoking increases chances o oral cancer

and lung cancer. A chillum is shared by a group o

individuals, so in addition to increasing their risk o

cancer, people who share a chillum increase their

chances o spreading colds, u, and other lung illnesses.

A chillum is also used or smoking narcotics like opium.


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Hookah: Hookah smoking involves a device thatheats the tobacco and passes it through water beore

it is inhaled. It is not a saer way to use tobacco. Teuse o hookah was once on the decline, but it hasincreased in recent years. Hookah is thought to be asign o royalty and prestige and is available in high-

priced cofee shops in avors like apple, strawberry,and chocolate. It is marketed as a "sae" recreationalactivity, but it is not sae and is nding increasing use

among college students o both sexes. Use o tobaccoin this orm can result in tobacco addiction.

Chutta smoking and reverse chutta smoking:Chuttas are coarse tobacco cigars that are smokedin the coastal areas o India. Reverse chutta smokinginvolves keeping the burning end o the chutta in themouth and inhaling it. Tis practice increases thechance o oral cancer.

Smokeless tobacco useSmokeless tobacco is very common in India. obacco

or tobacco-containing products are chewed or suckedas a quid, or applied to gums, or inhaled.

Khaini: Tis is one o the most common methods ochewing tobacco. Dried tobacco leaves are crushedand mixed with slaked lime and chewed as a quid.Te practice o keeping the quid in the mouth

between the cheeks and gums causes most cancers othe gums the most common mouth cancer in India.


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Gutkha: Tis is rapidly becoming the most popular

orm o chewed tobacco in India. It is very popularamong teenagers and children because it is available

in small packets (convenient or a single use), uses

avoring agents and scents, and is inexpensive (as

low as Re 1/- equivalent to 2 cents). Gutkha consists

o areca nut (betel nut) pieces coated with powdered

tobacco, avoring agents, and other secretingredients that increase the addiction potential.

Gutkha use is responsible or increased cases o oral

cancers and other disorders o the mouth and teeth in

young adults.

Paan with tobacco: Te main ingredients o

paan are the betel lea, areca nut (supari), slakedlime (chuna), and catechu (katha). Sweets and

other condiments can also be added. Te varieties

o paan are named or the diferent strengths o

tobacco in it. Some people think that chewing paan

without tobacco is harmless, but this is not true. Te

International Agency or Research on Cancer (IARC)

has established that people who chew both the betel

lea and the areca nut have a higher risk o damaging


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their gums and having cancers o the mouth, pharynx,

esophagus, and stomach.

Paan masala: Paan masala is a commercial

preparation containing the areca nut, slaked lime,

catechu, and condiments, with or without powderedtobacco. It comes in attractive sachets and tins, which

are easy to carry and store. Te tobacco powder and

areca nut are responsible or oral cancers in those who

use these products a lot.

Mawa: Tis is a combination o areca nut pieces, scented

tobacco, and slaked lime that is mixed on the spotand chewed as a quid. Te popularity o mawa and its

ability to cause cancer matches that o gutkha. Its use

is rising among teenagers and young adults in India.

Mishri, gudakhu and toothpastes: Tese preparations

are popular because people believe incorrectly

that tobacco in the product is a germicidal chemical

that helps in cleaning teeth. Mishri is roasted tobacco

powder that is applied as a toothpowder. Mishri

users oten become addicted and start applying it as

pastime. Gudakhu is a paste o tobacco and sugar

molasses. Tese preparations are commonly used by

women and involve direct application o tobacco to thegums, thus increasing the risk o cancer o the gums.


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obacco-containing toothpastes, which are promoted

as antibacterial pastes, are popular among children.

Tis habit oten becomes an addiction, and thechildren graduate to other orms o tobacco, thus

increasing their chance or cancers.

Dry snuf: Tis is a mixture o dried tobacco powder

and some scented chemicals. It is inhaled and is

common in the elderly population o India. Snuf is

responsible or cancers o the nose and jaw.

If you use tobacco in any formPeople who use tobacco are at risk or several cancers.

Smokers are at risk or mouth (oral), larynx, and lung

cancers, and other serious diseases, such as heart andlung diseases, circulatory disease, and stroke. Tose

who use tobacco that they put in their mouth are at

greatest risk or mouth cancer. Mouth cancer is one

o the most common cancers in India due to the use

o tobacco.

Mouth (oral) cancer can be ound in the early stages

with an oral exam by your doctor. Ask your doctor

about how oten you should have an oral exam.

Quitting all types o tobacco use greatly reduces your

risk or oral cancer. Te best prevention is to avoid

tobacco use altogether. For help quitting, visit the

American Cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.organd talk to your doctor.


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Notes


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Global

2009, American Cancer Society, Inc.No.011286-Rev.06/10India Project

Creation of this material was made possible

in part by a pioneering grant from CBCC-USA.cancer.org

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Tobacco Abuse.pdf