A dolescence Adolescence is particularly a vulnerable time in a person’s life. Navigating this stage of life can be challenging even for the most ‘normal’ or well-adjusted adolescents. Substance abuse is a menace, especially during the adolescence as it affects their physical, social and emotional growth. Of all the substances, alcohol and tobacco (including pan masala, gutkha, khaini , cigarette, beedi , etc.) are two of the substances most commonly misused and abused by adolescents.
Being easily available, many children are exposed to these in their homes at a very early age. Parents are role models, whether good or bad, and children of such parents who misuse these substances are at a greater risk of getting into the addiction. However, with proper treatment and support of loved ones, the youngsters can surely overcome their addiction habit and live successful and happy lives. Why is tobacco use unhealthy?
Tobacco is used in various forms such as smoking (cigarettes/ beedi/hookah ); smokeless ( pan masala with tobacco, gutkha / khaini ). You know that cigarette smoking is injurious to health. Most people believe that beedi is safer than cigarette. But smoking beedi is also equally dangerous.
As you know that the nicotine present in the tobacco leaves is highly addictive. It raises the blood pressure. There are about chemicals found in the smoke from the cigarettes which become a cause for different kind of cancers. Carbon monoxide gas exhaled by the smoker, is highly poisonous.
Tar, a substance resulting from the burning of tobacco leaves, is similar to coal tar used for building the roads. So just imagine the harm it causes to the lungs! Do You Know? Do you know that half of the users who started the use of tobacco in their youth will be losing their lives by their middle age?
Do You Know? You would be surprised to know that nicotine is used as insecticides and pesticides in agriculture. Table : Some of the Constituents of cigarette smoke Constituents Cancer causing chemicals Toxic metals Toluene Vinyl chloride Arsenic Carbon monoxide Benzene Chromium Butane Polonium Cadmium