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 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 theatres before any film, who dies at a very young age due to