No Smoking Day 2022: History, significance of this day and know effects of smoking

No Smoking Day is observed every year on the second Wednesday of March to let them know about the massive side effects of smoking and encourage them to quit it.

This year, No Smoking Day is being observed on March 9. It is mainly celebrated in the United Kingdom inspired by No Tobacco Day.

According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted by the International Institute of population sciences (IIPS), 8.5%of students — 9.6% of boys and 7.4% of girls — currently used any tobacco products. 

Highlights of GYTS Survey 2019 

*8.5% of students — 9.6% of boys and 7.4% of girls — currently used any tobacco products. 

*Highest current use of any tobacco was in Arunachal  Pradesh  & Mizoram (58% each) and lowest in Himachal Pradesh (1.1%). 

*7.3%  of students  — 8.3%  of boys and  6.2%  of girls  — currently smoked tobacco. 

*4.1% of students—s    4.6% of boys and 3.4% of girls—s    currently used smokeless tobacco. 

*2 in 10 current smokers — 25% of boys and 13% of girls — tried to quit smoking in the past 12 months. 

*21% of current smokers wanted to quit smoking now. 

*27% of current users of smokeless tobacco — 28% of boys and 25% of girls — tried to quit using in past 12 months. 

*1 in 4 current users of smokeless tobacco wanted to quit now. 

So far, four rounds of GYTS have been conducted in 2003,2006, 2009, 2019. 

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What will happen if you quit tobacco? 

In 8 hours: Oxygen levels return to normal. 
In 24 hours: The risk of heart attack begins to decrease. 
In 72 hours: Lung function improves. 
In 1-9 months: Coughing and shortness of breath decreases. 
In 12 months: The risk of heart disease is half as compared to tobacco users. 
In 5 years: Stroke risk is reduced. 
In 10 years: The risk of lung cancer is less than half as compared to tobacco users. 
In 15 years: The risk of heart disease is similar to a person who never smoked. Reduced risk of diseases attributable to tobacco use 

How dangerous is tobacco for you? 

Smoking is the major risk factors for Cancer, Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD), Diabetes, Chronic Lung Disease, stroke, infertility, blindness, Tuberculosis (TB), Oral Cavity etc. 

50% of cancers in males and 20% cancers in females 

40% of TB and other related diseases 

Effects of smoking: 

Cough and throat irritation 
Bad breath and bad-smelling clothes 
Patchy skin and discolouration of teeth 
Serious fetal conditions 
Heart diseases and Lung cancer 
Over time, more serious conditions may develop, including health problems like heart disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, stroke, and many types of cancer, out of which, oral cancer is quite common. 

Economic cost of tobacco use 

Economic costs attributable to tobacco use in 2011 for persons aged 35-69 is Rs  1,04,500 crores. 

Environmental cost  

Loss to the environment such as deforestation, pollution, litter, forest fires etc. 

Source: NTCP