Prof. (Dr.) Ved Prakash, Head of Department
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine,
KGMU, U.P., Lucknow
Lucknow: As the world marks World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2025, the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Department at King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, joins the global call to expose the manipulative tactics of the tobacco and nicotine industry. This year’s theme — “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco & Nicotine Products” — highlights a growing concern: how industries are subtly, yet effectively, targeting the younger population through appealing packaging, flavored alternatives, and glamorous social media narratives. Behind the glossy façade, however, lies a grim reality.
Tobacco remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), over 8 million people lose their lives annually due to tobacco use. Alarmingly, more than 1 million of these deaths occur due to passive smoking — exposure to secondhand smoke. In India alone, tobacco is responsible for approximately 1.3 million deaths every year — nearly 3,600 lives lost every single day. The country also shoulders a massive economic burden of over ₹220 crore annually due to tobacco-related health expenditures and productivity loss.
What’s particularly troubling is that about 90% of adult smokers begin smoking before the age of 18. In India, around 27 crore adults (approximately 29% of the adult population) use some form of tobacco — with smokeless tobacco (like khaini, gutka, and zarda) being the most prevalent, followed by bidis, cigarettes, and hookah. Youth are increasingly falling prey to new-age nicotine traps such as e-cigarettes and pouches, falsely portrayed as safer alternatives despite mounting evidence of their long-term harm.
The health consequences of tobacco use are staggering. It increases the risk of lung and other cancers up to 30 times and raises the chances of heart attacks sixfold. Asthma becomes three times more likely, and among men, tobacco use can double the risk of impotence. For women, especially during pregnancy, the risks are devastating: 20–30% of low birth weight cases, 14% of preterm births, and 10% of infant deaths are linked to smoking. Children exposed to secondhand smoke suffer from respiratory infections, asthma, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and developmental delays.
Tobacco affects nearly every organ in the body. It causes cancers of the lungs, mouth, esophagus, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, and cervix. It is a leading cause of chronic respiratory illnesses like chronic bronchitis and COPD, and significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases — doubling the chances of strokes and raising the likelihood of peripheral artery disease by more than ten times. It also affects reproductive health, leading to infertility and complications in childbirth, and is linked to mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and increased risk of substance abuse.
The symptoms of tobacco dependence are often ignored until the damage becomes irreversible. Persistent coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, decreased stamina, yellowed teeth and fingers, bad breath, and reduced sense of taste and smell are common early indicators. Oral health is another casualty, with higher risks of gum disease, dental decay, and oral cancers. Withdrawal from nicotine can be tough, marked by irritability, anxiety, restlessness, difficulty in concentration, and strong cravings, making it harder for users to quit without help.
The most concerning aspect is the deepening addiction among adolescents. A recent survey found that 14.6% of Indian teenagers aged 13–15 have already used tobacco in some form. The aggressive marketing of tobacco alternatives like e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches to this impressionable group poses a grave threat. These products are often glamorized as trendy or less harmful, misleading youth into dependence at an early age. But the long-term health effects are undeniable and well-documented.
Tobacco’s reach goes beyond health — it cripples the economy too. In 2017–18, the estimated healthcare cost due to tobacco-related illnesses in India for individuals aged 35 and above was ₹1.78 lakh crore. Globally, tobacco-related diseases drain over ₹14 lakh crore annually through healthcare expenses and lost productivity. India, in fact, loses about 1% of its GDP to tobacco-related damage — a cost the nation cannot afford.
Yet, amid this sobering reality, hope persists. Public awareness, strict regulations, and support systems for quitting tobacco can reverse this crisis. The message is clear and urgent: one puff leads to countless steps towards disease and death. Quitting is not just a choice but a necessity — for a healthier body, a calmer mind, and a brighter future.
On this World No Tobacco Day, it is time to unmask the truth behind the industry’s slick advertising and deceptive products. The cost of tobacco is not just paid in rupees or dollars — it is paid in lives, in lost years, in broken families, and shattered dreams. Choosing health over habit is the only path forward.
Breathe free. Live clean. Choose life over smoke.
