Smokeless tobacco You have heard and seen the advertisements of pan masala and wondered what it is made up of. Pan masala contains supari , that is arecanut or betel nut, which is a traditional item and a part of many religious ceremonies in our country. Most of us believe that pan masala is not harmful as it is just a mixture of areca nut cuttings, commonly known as supari , food flavours and sweeteners. Actually it is a specialised, ingenious mix of traditional items and chemical products developed to cause addiction.
New formulations of pan masala are constantly developed and introduced in the market to encourage initiation and sustained use of these and other similar products with an objective to deliver higher “highs” to the addicts. A dangerous fact which is not known is that continuous use of tobacco causes oral cancer. Its use by the pregnant mothers is nearly as dangerous as alcohol drinking. If taken during pregnancy, even the unborn babies are harmed by the chemicals present in gutkha and pan masala .
Health hazards of tobacco and substance misuse Substance misuse affects all the aspects of life of the user. Smoking causes different types of cancers, the most common being lung cancer. Research has established that pan masala , gutkha , and khaini all cause oral cancer. All types of tobacco products that mention ‘low tar or additive-free’ are harmful.
Substance misuse in any form leads to dependence and addiction. It affects the personality and makes one angrier, volatile, depressed and tense. The day-to-day activities along with thinking and memory are affected, resulting in a negative impact upon the work in school/college/job. Effect of tobacco abuse among women Have you noticed attractive advertisements of lighted cigarettes?
Though we mostly see men smoking, the young women are one of the biggest targets of the tobacco industry. The tobacco industry organises richly-funded Say “NO” to tobacco . Remember, one moment of wise decision is the foundation for future happy life for you and your family. Case Study You must have seen the short film on Mukesh shown in