TOBACCO IS A LIFELONG TRAP, QUIT IT

Team L&M

Tomorrow (31st May) is World No Tobacco Day, a global health awareness day observed annually to highlight the harmful effects of tobacco use and to encourage people to quit. This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the theme “Unmasking the Appeal,” which focuses on how tobacco and related industries target youth through flavoured products, deceptive marketing, and addictive product designs that create lifelong users.

Talking about it Dr. A Jayachandra, Clinical Director & HOD, Sr. Consultant – Interventional Pulmonology at CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, said, “Tobacco is not just about cancer. It’s a major cause of chronic respiratory diseases, oral precancerous conditions, asthma complications, and even cardiovascular problems. What’s even more concerning is how aggressively tobacco and vaping products are being promoted to young people in India.”

India continues to face a major public health challenge due to tobacco. With over 26 crore users and nearly 13 lakh deaths annually linked to tobacco consumption, the economic burden is also significant. A recent study estimated that India spends over ₹177,000 crore per year on treating tobacco-related diseases and productivity losses, far more than the revenue generated by the tobacco industry.

World No Tobacco Day falls on May 31

“Smoking damages the airways and lungs, making breathing difficult. Long-term smokers often suffer from chronic bronchitis, emphysema, interstitial lung disease, and repeated infections. Smokeless tobacco, gutka, and vaping are no safer — they come with their own set of life-threatening consequences,” added Dr. Jayachandra.

Tobacco smoke contains over 7,000 harmful chemicals, many of which are toxic and cancer-causing. Studies show that smokers are at high risk for mouth, throat, lung, and bladder cancers, and passive smoke is equally harmful, especially to children and elderly family members.

“We need to break the myth that tobacco is a personal choice. It affects not just the individual but also their families and the nation. Youth are especially vulnerable, and the tobacco industry exploits this by packaging harmful products in attractive, flavored formats,” he says.

As for quitting, doctors emphasise that tobacco addiction is medical and behavioral, and help is available. “Nicotine replacement therapies, non-nicotine medications, and counseling work best when combined. Quitting isn’t easy, but with proper support, it is absolutely possible,” he added.

On World No Tobacco Day, healthcare professionals call upon governments, educators, and families to take a united stand against the tobacco epidemic, to protect public health and secure a healthier future for the next generation.

Says Psychiatrist Dr Sandeep Vohra, Founder of NWNT, “The tactics of the tobacco industry continue to endanger the next generation under the guise of innovation. In 2025, over 80% of young tobacco users globally reported being drawn in by sleek packaging and sweetened, flavored products—designed to appeal, but concealing the deadly truth. The theme this year, ‘Bright Products. Dark Intentions.’, is a stark reminder that these products are engineered not for well-being, but for addiction.
As a medical examiner, mental health professional, and de addiction specialist, I witness the devastating toll tobacco and nicotine addiction takes—not only physically, with rising cases of early-onset cancers and cardiovascular disease—but mentally, through increased rates of anxiety, depression, and dependency. A 2024 WHO study revealed that youth who use nicotine products are twice as likely to experience mental health struggles.”

“World No Tobacco Day is more than a symbolic initiative—it is a global call to action. We must expose deceptive marketing, strengthen policies, and protect young people from becoming lifelong addicts. The path to a tobacco-free future starts with awareness, support, and the courage to stand against industries profiting from harm,” he adds.