Dr. Deepthi Thottungal Rajan
Preventive Oncologist | Tobacco Intervention Initiative Specialist
Every year on May 31, the world unites under the banner of World No Tobacco Day, a global campaign initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and to advocate for effective policies that reduce tobacco consumption.
🧭 Theme for World No Tobacco Day 2025:
“Protecting Health, Promoting Lives: End Tobacco Use Today.”
This theme emphasizes the urgent need for individuals, governments, and communities to take decisive action to eliminate tobacco use for the benefit of personal health and planetary well-being.
Tobacco use remains one of the most preventable causes of disease, disability, and death worldwide. The campaign seeks to empower people with knowledge, support mechanisms, and tools to quit tobacco and embrace a healthier future.
🚬 Forms of Tobacco and Their Harmful Effects
Tobacco exists in several forms, each with devastating impacts on health:
1. Smoking Forms of Tobacco
- Cigarettes
- Cigars
- Bidis
- Hookahs
- Pipes
These products release thousands of harmful chemicals when burned, many of which are known carcinogens.
2. Smokeless Tobacco Products
- Gutka
- Khaini
- Snuff
- Chewing tobacco
Commonly used in countries like India, these are not safe alternatives. They are linked to oral cancers, gum disease, and heart problems.
3. Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)
- E-cigarettes
- Vapes
Marketed as safer alternatives, ENDS still pose significant health risks such as:
- Addiction
- Lung injury
- Nicotine dependency
⚠️ WHO has consistently warned that these devices are not harmless and require strict regulation.
🩺 Health Impacts of Tobacco
According to the WHO:
- Tobacco kills more than 8 million people annually, including about 1.3 million non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke.
- Smoking damages nearly every organ in the human body.
It causes a range of chronic diseases:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Cancers: lung, throat, esophageal, pancreatic
Tobacco use also weakens the immune system, making the body more vulnerable to infections, including respiratory illnesses.
Smokeless Tobacco
- Leading cause of oral cancers
- Increases risk of cardiovascular disease
- Can cause stillbirth in pregnant women
ENDS
- Associated with lung damage, increased heart rate, and nicotine dependency
- Especially dangerous for adolescents
🧠 Beyond Physical Health: The Psychological and Social Toll
Tobacco addiction can lead to lifelong dependence, marked by:
- Withdrawal symptoms
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Depression
It affects:
- Fertility in both men and women
- Increases the risks of birth defects in newborns
In children, exposure to tobacco smoke is linked to:
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Low birth weight
- Developmental problems
Tobacco users are also more prone to mental health disorders, compounding their vulnerability and reducing their quality of life.
🌐 Global Burden of Tobacco
According to WHO’s Global Tobacco Epidemic Report 2023:
- Over 1.3 billion people use tobacco
- 80% live in low- and middle-income countries
- The burden of illness and death is heaviest in these regions
India-specific data:
- Nearly 1.35 million deaths annually (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)
- GATS-2 (2016-17): 28.6% of Indian adults (15+ years) use some form of tobacco
- Rates among women and youth are rising
- Passive smoking is a major concern
🛑 Quitting Tobacco: Yes, It’s Possible
Behavioral Therapies:
- Help individuals understand triggers
- Develop coping mechanisms
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing increase success rates
Support Systems:
- Family, friends, and community groups
- National helplines
- Mobile apps and SMS-based support programs
WHO’s “Quit Tobacco” initiative offers digital resources and professional guidance globally.
🔄 Approaches to Quitting
People choose different paths. Understanding them helps tailor success:
🧊 Cold Turkey
- Abrupt cessation
- Difficult, but effective for those with strong motivation
📉 Gradual Reduction
- Decrease usage over time
- May reduce withdrawal symptoms and risk of relapse
👨⚕️ Assisted Quitting
- Professional help from cessation counselors, doctors, therapists
- Often a combination of behavioral and medical strategies
👥 Group Therapy
- Provides emotional support
- Shared experiences increase accountability
💊 Medications That Help
🔹 Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
Provides controlled nicotine without harmful chemicals.
Forms include:
- Patches
- Gums
- Lozenges
- Inhalers
- Nasal sprays
🔹 Bupropion
- Non-nicotine medication
- Alters brain chemistry
- Effective especially for heavy smokers
🔹 Varenicline
- Prescription drug
- Blocks nicotine receptors in the brain
- Reduces satisfaction from smoking
Additional medications may also be prescribed to treat anxiety, depression, or other co-existing conditions.
🕒 Timeline of Recovery After Quitting
- 20 minutes: Heart rate begins to drop
- 12 hours: Carbon monoxide level in blood normalizes
- 2 weeks to 3 months: Lung function improves
- 1 year: Risk of heart disease is halved
- Long-term: Reduced risk of cancers and other chronic illnesses
🔔 A Global Imperative
World No Tobacco Day 2025 is a timely reminder that quitting tobacco is not just a personal decision it’s a global responsibility.
Governments must:
- Enforce plain packaging
- Increase taxes
- Impose advertising bans
- Promote smoke-free environments
Individuals must:
- Take the first step to quit
- Use evidence-based support
- Seek professional help and digital tools
✅ The vision of a tobacco-free world is within reach.
🛑 Now is the time to act for your health, your loved ones, and the future of generations to come.