Does Passive Smoking Cause Cancer Just Like Direct Smoking? What are the effects of passive smoking and how is it linked to Cancer and other diseases? Tobacco claims more than seven million lives each year and is among the leading causes of death, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO)
There are 1.1 billion smokers in the world 80% of which live in low and middle-income nations. The occurrence of Tobacco-related deaths and illness is the highest in these nations, which includes Cancer.
- New Ebola Outbreak in Africa Almost Incurable: World Health Organisation
- Leading Oncologists Suggest Alternative Approach to Cancer Treatment
Six million of the seven million lives claimed by tobacco each other are lost due to direct use of tobacco while others die due to passive tobacco smoking. Tobacco smoke carries as much as 4000 chemicals of which 250 chemicals are known to be harmful and might even cause cancer. More than 50% of children all over the world are exposed to air affected by tobacco smoke hence leading to health hazards.
Repercussions of Smoking Tobacco
People who smoke tobacco are highly vulnerable to catch the following diseases
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Respiratory Diseases
- Coronary Heart Diseases
- Lung Cancer
The WHO also states that second-hand smoking or passive smoking is as hazardous as direct smoking. Second-hand smoking leads to more than 0.8 million deaths in adults each year. In low and middle-income nations poor children are exposed to tobacco farming which causes green tobacco sickness among them.
Only one in every three nations of the world have regular Tobacco surveys and monitoring of Tobacco consumption. The World Health Organisation states that good monitoring holds to key to the reduction of tobacco smokers.
How Can Nations Battle Tobacco?
The following measures can help the world achieve exoneration from the clutches of tobacco
- Picture Warnings: Pictures and graphics highlighting the harms of tobacco have been found to be highly useful. These pictures issuing warnings have reduced the number of children taking up smoking and increased the number of those wanting to quit.
- Increased Taxes: Taxes on tobacco form one of the most efficient ways to battle out tobacco. Increased prices due to increased taxation lead to a decline in demands.
- Bans on Tobacco Advertising: Complete bans on advertisements and endorsements of tobacco and tobacco-related products are a part of the policy framework to reduce tobacco consumption.
- Helping addicts to quit: As a part of the community and individual measures to fight tobacco, help must be offered to those wanting to quit.
Passive Smoking
Passive smoking is associated with disease and premature death in nonsmoking adults and children. Exposure to passive smoke hurts the airways and has direct adverse effects on a person’s heart and blood vessels. There may also be a connection between exposure to secondhand smoke and the risk of attack and thickening of the arteries; however, additional research is required.
Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk of sudden death syndrome, ear infections, colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, and severe asthma. Being exposed to passive smoke slows the growth of children’s lungs and can cause them to cough, wheeze, and feel breathless. Passive Smoking’s direct link with Cancer is debatable.
More News at EurAsian Times
- Indian Military Base in Sabang can Strangle China at the Strait of Malacca
- Major Spat Between India and Pakistan Over Free Balochistan Office In Delhi
- Saudi Arabia Halts All Oil Shipments After Yemen Missile Attack
- Saudi Crown Prince Unravels Deep Secrets Behind Wahhabism and the Yemen War
