DR. BRAHMANANDA SATAPATHY
MD, FCGP, FICRO ( TMH, Mumbai ),
Consultant cum HOD – Radiation Oncology
KMC Health City, Meerut , UP
Smoking has always been a passtime for college goers and working or retired elders. But in the recent decades there has been a paradigm change in this pattern as more and more teenagers are taking to smoking. This has been prevalent among slum dwellers but now children from affluent families are becoming chain smokers. In India alone more than 600000 children between the age of 10-16 smoke everyday. Amongst these 190000 are girls.
Facts in India
- Most children who smoke are in the age group 10-16 years.
- More than 10 crore people above the age of 15 are smokers.
- 17500(approx) people die every week due to tobacco related diseases. Most of them had started smoking at a young age.
- The tobacco industry in India is a whoping 2 lac crore.
- Cigarettes , Biris & other tobbacco related things are easily available in close vicinity of schools.
Who are at risk
Children with parents who smoke are more prone to start smoking at an early age. Deaths in the family due to tobacco abuse, children from disturbed families are also fall easy prey. Advertisements, social media and role models who smoke also influence the young immature mind.
The risks
Tobacco abuse leads to alcohol abuse and such children start doing drugs also. Intoxication in any form may lead to childhood sex abuse, teen pregnancy and other problems. It can destroy the mental and physical health of the child.
How to prevent
- Monitor the child’s screen time (internet, smart phones, TV, videos and movies)
- Watch the child’s expenditure habits.
- Sudden change in behavior of the child may be a symptom.
- Watch for cigarette butts in and around the house.
- Child’s first heroes are their parents and they look up to them and their habits.
