Bidi is Playing Cancer In India: Please Stop It For My Sake

The consumption of Tobacco
In India is increasing day by day ,at present around 45 percent of total
consumption Tobacco in the country is in the form of Bidi( Indian version of
cigarette), with cigarette and oral tobacco accounting for around 15 per cent
and 40 per cent respectively. Bidi is most often consumed by the poorer and
less educated section of society including the children.

Here is no evidence to
indicate that consumption of any form of tobacco is less harmful. The
comparative product assay study as reported in the compilation of Research on
Tobacco in India
published jointly by the World Bank and the Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research concluded that bidi contains higher concentrations of nicotine than
conventional cigarettes and it is logical to presume that Bidi smokers are at
risk of becoming nicotine dependent. Although bidis tend to be smaller than
conventional cigarettes, they can be every bit as deadly and addictive as
conventional cigarettes.

 Moreover, Bidis tend to be smoked more
intensively with more frequent puffs, thus resulting in higher actual nicotine
intake and cardiovascular effect than cigarettes, as well as 2-3 times greater
tar inhalation. In cohort studies, bidi smoking has been shown to result in
high excess mortality and high risk for diseases that are caused by cigarettes.

Bidi smoking has been
associated with a threefold risk of oral cancer and studies have also shown
bidi smoking to be an important cause for cardiovascular disease. There are
further studies to indicate that children who work for hours sitting
cross-legged making bidis often suffer from backaches and knee problems and
over the long term, many develop chronic bronchitis, asthma and even T.B.

As it is affecting the health
of poor section of developing India,
where national and all international social agencies are working for health and
social upliftment of these sections of society. So we are really serious about
them then we should try to stop disease at nip, right quote “ stick In Time
saves Nine”