We all know that tobacco is injurious to human health and have heard this so many times at the start of every movie. But despite it, the use of tobacco is contagious and spreading way faster and so it’s related-death.
Tobacco was used as medicine earlier but after the invention of cigarettes, it has become common among us. It has become so common in the world that it has made its own space for the household spending on basic needs, such as food, shelter, and now tobacco.
Smoking is so common and feels so familiar, that it can be hard to grasp just how large the impact is. According to WHO ( World Health Organization), around 1.3 billion people worldwide use tobacco products. Among them, 80% of whom are in low-income and middle-income countries. Tobacco is used in two ways, smokeless and by smoking. Among them, China is the leading user of smokers with 300.8 million users and India has the highest number at 274.9 million users of smokeless tobacco.
The tobacco epidemic is killing more than 8 million people a year around the world and more than 7 million death are caused by the direct use of tobacco. There are various forms of tobacco, for instance:- Cigarette smoking, Cigars, roll-your-own tobacco, Bidis, and kreteks. An addictive product has a long history after becoming so common among us. But, from where was it initiated? Let’s do a little sneak peek into history.
Tobacco was first discovered by the native people of Mesoamerica and South America and later introduced to Europe and the rest of the world. Archeological studies found that the use of tobacco started around the 1st century BC when the MAYA people of Central America used tobacco leaves for smoking in sacred and religious ceremonies. Later, it spread as much as high to Mississippi valley. The migration of people was also one of the major causes of the spreading of tobacco in the world.
They used to introduce tobacco in marriage rituals and later it became an addiction. There is one of the incidents that happened in history when Columbus arrived on a new continent in 1492. The Native Americans brought gifts of fruits, food, and many more things. Along with all the gifts, he saw one nonedible dried leaf in the gift and it had a distinct smell.
Soon Columbus realized that dried leaves are a beloved possession among them as they swapped with them and offered them as a gift.
In India tobacco was introduced by the Portuguese in 1605, Portuguese used to plant tobacco in nearly all of their trading outpost, and the same happened with India. Initially, tobacco was grown in the Kaira and Mehsana Districts of Gujrat and later it spread all over the country.
Tobacco became a commercial crop till the 19th century. Tobacco became more popular after the invention of the cigarette-making machine by James Bonsack in 1881. Also, cigarettes gained much popularity during World War 1 and World War 2, when tobacco companies sent millions of packets to the soldier. It was included as a ration named C-ration which contains food including cigarettes for soldiers.
Earlier used as a medication purpose to become the most addictive substance, it has traped billions of people around the globe. Tobacco companies are gaining heavy profit by putting the lives of others under threat. According to the survey, it is estimated that around 35% of the males smoke daily and now even females are not lesser than that.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the use of tobacco has seen a rapid increase among youngsters. Around 1 to 4 high school, students used tobacco products in the previous 30 days in 2018. They use e-cigarettes mostly in the form of tobacco and it has increased from 11% to 20.8% among high school students.
Although e-cigarette is banned in India, consumption of tobacco over flavored cigarettes has seen a sudden rise. Methanol Cigarettes are flavored Cigarettes that reduce the harshness and give a reduced smell. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), around 80% of black smokers use methanol cigarettes compared to 30% of white smokers.
Cigarette smoking is a carcinogenic mixture of more than 7000 chemicals that badly affects the body. A carcinogenic is a substance, organism, or agent that is responsible for causing cancer.
World Health Organization says in its report that cigarettes smoke not only affects the person who smokes but also those who don’t. Among 7 million death of those who are direct tobacco users, 1.2 million death are the result of Second-hand smoke.
Second-Hand smoke is the smoke that fills encircled areas when people burn tobacco products. As a result, almost half of the children regularly breathe polluted air from tobacco smoke. 65,000 children died every year from second-hand smoke. Also, pregnancy complications have been seen in pregnant women after the direct consumption of smoke or either by Second-Hand smoke.
One lady shared her experience with smoking during pregnancy and that, she had a huge addition of smoke. She could hardly quit smoking, and during her pregnancy period, she used to smoke 10 cigarettes a day. Doctors advised her to quit smoking immediately because it can harm her child.
After 34 weeks she found in a scan that her child was not growing for 2 weeks and her placenta was beginning to fail. In the few days after the baby was born, she found that her baby was very fastidious. And after 2 years her baby suffered from eczema and seemed to have a poor immune system.
Also, history says that tobacco has continuously been used as a weapon to fall against the enemy by putting them into an addiction to tobacco. To Increase the trade of tobacco and book a higher profit, tobacco-producing countries often introduced it to them. Earlier China and India were never the tobacco user countries. During the ’90s tobacco companies introduced them by putting tobacco into the tea. China natives found tea as an addictive element and later they found that it was tobacco that makes them highly addictive. But was too late to find out a solution because the demand for tobacco expanded significantly in China.
Today China is the leading user of tobacco products in terms of smoke with more than 300.8 million active users.
Tobacco has become so big nowadays that simply banning it wouldn’t be enough. It is also a major source of income for tobacco farmers. Afghanistan’s tobacco farmers which are now under the control of the Taliban still depend much on tobacco farming because of attractive wages, compared to other commodities, as it improves their Income. It is sad to say that tobacco is running the country’s economy along with putting the life of natives under threat. Major economies like China is the leading producer of tobacco at the same time as the leading consumer.
Addiction to tobacco is so dangerous that a person can barely avoid the habit once comes under its jaws. There are lots of medicine available in the market that claim to be efficient to get rid of tobacco. But we assume it will hardly work until you want to shift your mindset on your own.
Excessive consumption of Tobacco has been seen as frequent in people who are taking much strain and are in a depression. They used to smoke for instant relief but soon it becomes part of their life.
There is also another way that might help you get rid of tobacco addiction. You must try to change your surrounding. A good company of good people will change your way of thinking and might influence you to be on the right path. There is a famous quote by Booker J Washington- “Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company“.
Also, we would like to suggest to you that reading habits might stimulate your brain towards productive things rather than these fruitless addictions. Books always uplift your motivation whenever you are sad and will be your best friend while others are busy in this busy world.
Habits can have a significant impact on one’s life, choose wisely.
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View Comments
It is sufficient
everyday
your own dreams
to interpret
then you have to
neither smoke
still read books
to deal with it
any addiction
to be consciously dispensed with
Exactly, smoking is not a stress buster you can have many other options too. Like reading, following favorite hobbies, and many more.
Thanks 😊
Early on in the USA in the 20th Century, cigarettes were called "cancer sticks". In the early 1960s, the US Surgeon General proclaimed the darn things established by science to have a connection between cigarettes and cancer. Even then, people took up the habit, and advertisements for cigarettes emphasized some perceived connection between smoking and being healthy, young, and "cool"! Nearly half of all adult Americans smoked, and smoking was so common in public places, you'd choke on the secondhand smoke. I'm not certain when it happened, but restaurants and theatres finally began restricting smoking in their establishments or had smoking sections. Now, it is more common not to allow smoking in them. Hospitals have banned smoking inside for years. Now, maybe 19% of American adults smoke and it is possible to be in a bar or restaurant and not have any smoking allowed. Little by little, this smoking ban will spread throughout the world, but it takes lots of work on the part of healthcare professionals to educate the public and governments and businesses restricting smoking or banning it in public places. If France can ban smoking in their brasseries, there is hope for the world!
Many Governments have taken to stop smoking. But the companies find out other ways to increase their sales. Like methanol cigarettes and e-cigarettes, these are those cigarettes that restrict the irritation coming from smoke. Banning is not simply the solution to restrain the issue, if the product is manufactured in factories so it will come into the market and will get sold. Government should find a way to restrict the making of tobacco but hopefully, they could do this so.
I don't know how it is in India, but in the USA, the Federal Government collects taxes on all tobacco products, which makes it part of the problem to end usage of tobacco.
India also imposes heavy taxes on tobacco products as well as there is an advertisement ban on Tobacco products. But they somehow find their way to make them into his trap.
How true. Once restaurants, hospitals, airlines, and businesses started restricting smoking to specific places or banning it outright on the premises, many people here became inspired to stop smoking. I can't imagine how people here spend US$6 (425₹) for 20 cigarettes, even more in places like New York, especially people with limited incomes!
Its because of addiction and it also became a basic household things along with food. I hope soon this will stopped
It makes a big difference in air quality. Best wishes for success over there!
Thank you
Very detailed 👌, tobacco addiction has to be stopped..I myself quit 15 years back and young boys and girls acts cool with a Chai and Sutta....all I think is hope they learn soon...
Students indeed start smoking to become cool but soon it becomes an addiction. Im happy that you have quit smoking, hope soon many others will join you.
Thank you for stopping by ❣
Many, I think the majority, of people in the US do not smoke. Tobacco companies continue to export their harmful, addictive products. Second hand smoke causes health problems. Smoking causes premature aging of the skin, can lead to heart disease, lung cancer, and emphysema...It is a shame! Keep spreading the warning, Deepak!
It is good to hear that the USA is not under the trap of tobacco. But those who are under his trap, are affected very much by it.
Thank you for your appreciation ❣
A very comprehensive article. Sadly ALL addictions are detrimental to the BEST lives for human beings. Thank you.
Thankyou for Stopping by Faye
Very informative post
Most of which I had no idea about thanks for this
I'm glad to hear that you find it informative.
Thankyou❣
Welcome
great article so important to share. Thanks a lot! 💖💖🙏
Thank you for your kind words, Cindy❣
You're always welcome Deepak! 💖
Always deserved!! 💖
😊
We don't, in fact, know that tobacco is injurious to human health. There have never been any studies done on it when chemical free.
The typical factory rolled "cigarette" contains 7000 chemicals (!), shredded paper, and concentrated nicotine juice.
It has almost nothing to do with actual tobacco ~ and what tobacco they contain is both irradiated and overdrives.
Like any other substance, quality, well-cured tobacco is appropriate for some, but not for others.
Some strains are harmful. Some strains, for some conditions, are medicinal.
They are that for me.
We are succumbing to yet another hatred promulgating, divisiveness-fostering non-issue between people.
Let's concentrate on war and world hunger, and let people take their pleasures in their own ways, shall we?
We need to stop pointing fingers, and start opening arms for hugs.
Less division. More inclusion.
I have already mentioned that earlier this was used for medicinal purposes. But later when things become advanced tobacco became a health issue. In today’s time WHO itself is concerned about tobacco consumption and this is based on that. I won’t say you’re wrong in your perspective.
Also, we condemned the happening in Ukraine, also I have written a full-fledged article on “War” and “food security”. I hope you will find this one worth it.
We hope peace prevails over wrath.
We do hope so!
Really great post. Tobacco is awful not just for smokers but those around them too.
Exactly, the same thing i have mentioned on my blog that Second Hand smokers are causing painful death due to smoke of tobacco.
And we should take action against it.
Thank you for stopping by 💓
It seems like lots of things were good, once, before they got "taken over" and tainted and mutated into something else. Like tobacco before chemicals were added was just a natural substance. And now it's a poisonous, dangerous, addictive thing.
Indeed, In ciggrates more than 7000 chemical substances included which are very harmful for human being. Not only those who consumes it but also who don't use it.
It is threat for the world.
Thank you for stopping by.
A very comprehensive article! Thanks a lot for sharing
Thank you for your kind words Luisa.
You're most welcome 🙏🙏🙏
Hi Deepak, Sorry for being late here.
1. You have raised an essential and significant issue that should be discussed today among people.
Because if people stop using tobacco, their manufacturers will slowly decline.
2. I'm amazed by your improved writing. I would say that “Aspiring Blog” is moving in the right direction.
It follows the best practices needed for a blog.
Tobacco Epidemic topic is so comprehensively written that people forget when they ended the whole article, getting every tiny piece of information.
3. Resources and context — The context is Tobacco usage around the world, identifying India at the center. You stick to the context.
I find it so helpful that after introducing a subhead, you briefly describe it, then share real life examples, case studies, and solutions initiatives (govt policies in this case).
At the end I saw your mailing address for guest post.
I have thought to send you email regarding this.
However, in the present, I'm going through inside collapses and adjustments.
I need more time to recover and recollect my energy.
If you're on Insta, you must have seen some posts from me.
I'm experiment with new writing style, especially “short-form” and “image” based content.
Thank you for being “true friends” and “encouraging me” throughout your posts.
Have a peaceful night. Take care.
Its a big complement for us that Aspiring Blog helping you to boost your confidence.
We have to work more to come into the space of good writers.
Indeed, tobacco is a rising issue which need lot of awareness Among youngsters so that they can break the chain of drugs addiction.
We wish you a good health and keep writing.