Oral Cancer from Smoking and TobaccoImage Credit source: Pexels
World No Tobacco Day: Tobacco consumption has been a serious health problem in India for a long time. The use of cigarettes, beedis, gutkha, khaini, pan masala and other tobacco products is gradually pushing millions of people towards deadly diseases like cancer. The most worrying thing is that oral cancer is increasing rapidly in India, but despite this, people often ignore the initial symptoms. This is the reason why experts are considering it as a silent epidemic. World No Tobacco Day is celebrated every year on 31 May. This is a day to make people understand that consuming tobacco in any form can make them victims of the dangerous disease cancer.
In India, people are less aware of the harm caused by tobacco, hence people do not understand its danger. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and many health reports, India is among the countries in the world where the highest number of cases of oral cancer are reported.
What does research say?
A report by the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) According to, in the year 2022, more than 1.2 lakh cases of oral cancer worldwide were found to be linked to the consumption of smokeless tobacco and betel nut. This accounts for approximately one-third of the total cases of oral cancer. The report said that about 88 percent of such cases were registered in South-Central Asia, while more than 96 percent of the cases were found in low- and middle-income countries. The biggest reason for this is the increasing habit of tobacco and smoking.
From villages to cities, a large number of people consume gutkha, betel nut mixed tobacco, beedi and cigarettes. Many people consider it a normal habit, but its long-term use increases the risk of cancer of mouth, tongue, throat and lips manifold.
early signs
This cancer caused by this is a big danger. Dr. Tarang Krishna, Managing Director of Cancer Healer Center told many important things about oral cancer. According to him, the most dangerous thing about cancer is that its symptoms appear very normal in its initial stage. People often ignore signs like frequent ulcers in the mouth, appearance of white or red spots, swelling in the gums, difficulty in opening the mouth, change in voice or difficulty in swallowing, considering them to be minor problems. Many patients reach the hospital when the disease has reached a serious stage.
increasing anxiety among youth
The increasing trend of e-cigarettes, vaping and flavored tobacco products among the youth in India is also raising concerns. Experts say that tobacco addiction at a young age can further increase the risk of cancer in the future. Apart from this, consumption of alcohol and tobacco together makes the risk more dangerous.
awareness is the only protection
Awareness is the biggest weapon to stop this silent epidemic. It is important to continuously inform people about the harm caused by tobacco. There is a need to run awareness campaigns in schools and colleges, strictly enforce tobacco control laws in public places and promote regular oral checkups. If oral cancer is identified in the early stages, its treatment is possible.
Therefore, any abnormal change in the mouth should not be ignored. Avoidance of tobacco and smoking, healthy lifestyle and periodic checkups are the most effective way to avoid this silent epidemic.
