MULTAN,May 30th:Cancer Society Multan (CCM) has said that 1,50, 000 to 1,75,000 people are suffering from cancer every year due to smoking, taking "Gutka, Naswar and Beera" but only 50,000 people approach to hospitals ,clinic for treatment .Addressing a press conference here on Sunday Dr.Ahmed Aijaz Masud General Secretary and Hoshing Boman Jee finance Secretary said that smoking rate in the US has been decreased to almost half over the last 3 decades and it had ended the smoking areas while it is on the rise in developing countries such as Pakistan, India, Philippine, Thailand and Cambodia.He disclosed that Women of Mianwali, Bhakkar and other areas who take "Beera" were suffering from bladder and uterine cervix cancer.Dr.Ahmed Aijaz said that besides lung cancer, tobacco use also causes increased risk for cancers of the mouth, lips, nasal cavity (nose) and sinuses, larynx (voice box), pharynx (throat), esophagus (swallowing tube), stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, uterine cervix, and acute myeloid leukemia.He said that One third of the world population smokes, while 12 percent of them are women and every day 100,000 kids are added to this number. Every year, 5.6 million people die of tobacco/smoking related diseases. Every 6 seconds, a current or former smoker dies. As many as 70 percent of the smokers die 15 years earlier than the non-smokers, and 1.3 billion people are expected to lose their lives because of smoking in 21st century, he revealed.
The expert said smoking is the single most important cause of preventable premature deaths. According to WHO figures, there are about 1.3 billion smokers in the world while 20 billion cigarettes are sold every day. Smoking cigarette, pipe, cigar, 'Huqqa', 'Shisha' and other usage of tobacco like chewing tobacco and tobacco sniffing are all dangerous and addictive. Nicotine present in tobacco smoke causes addiction by increasing the brain levels of chemicals like Dopamine and Endrophine.
Dr.Aijaz said these chemicals give a sense of happiness hence there is more craving for tobacco products. If a person tries to quit, withdrawal effects include irritability, anxiety, depression and lack of concentration, he said. Informing further, Dr Faheem said tobacco and tobacco smoke have about 4,000 chemicals, 200 of these are poisonous and 60 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer (carcinogens).Some of these chemicals are benzene (a petroleum product), ammonia (used in dry cleaning and toilet cleaning), formaldehyde (a chemical used to preserve dead bodies) and tar. Tobacco smoke causes atherosclerosis (hardening of blood vessels), leading to hart attack and stroke. It also contains carbon mono-oxide which decreases oxygen in the blood, he added.He disclosed that 90 percent of people who develop lung cancer are current or former smokers. Risk for lung cancer increases with number of cigarette smoked. In the US, lung cancer causes more deaths than breast cancer, prostrate cancer and colon cancer together, he maintained. Smoking is known cause of many other cancers like throat cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, cancer of pancreas, breast cancer, kidney cancer and prostrate cancer, he maintained.Furthermore, he continued, smoking causes medical conditions called emphysema and bronchitis (COPD). In these conditions, the lung tissue is permanently damaged. As a result, such a patient develops cough and difficulty in breathing and may develop symptoms, which mimic asthma. Patient gets lung infections (pneumonia) easily. In this case, lung can not make enough oxygen which, ultimately, leads to breathing failure and death, he said.
The expert said smoking is the single most important cause of preventable premature deaths. According to WHO figures, there are about 1.3 billion smokers in the world while 20 billion cigarettes are sold every day. Smoking cigarette, pipe, cigar, 'Huqqa', 'Shisha' and other usage of tobacco like chewing tobacco and tobacco sniffing are all dangerous and addictive. Nicotine present in tobacco smoke causes addiction by increasing the brain levels of chemicals like Dopamine and Endrophine.
Dr.Aijaz said these chemicals give a sense of happiness hence there is more craving for tobacco products. If a person tries to quit, withdrawal effects include irritability, anxiety, depression and lack of concentration, he said. Informing further, Dr Faheem said tobacco and tobacco smoke have about 4,000 chemicals, 200 of these are poisonous and 60 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer (carcinogens).Some of these chemicals are benzene (a petroleum product), ammonia (used in dry cleaning and toilet cleaning), formaldehyde (a chemical used to preserve dead bodies) and tar. Tobacco smoke causes atherosclerosis (hardening of blood vessels), leading to hart attack and stroke. It also contains carbon mono-oxide which decreases oxygen in the blood, he added.He disclosed that 90 percent of people who develop lung cancer are current or former smokers. Risk for lung cancer increases with number of cigarette smoked. In the US, lung cancer causes more deaths than breast cancer, prostrate cancer and colon cancer together, he maintained. Smoking is known cause of many other cancers like throat cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, cancer of pancreas, breast cancer, kidney cancer and prostrate cancer, he maintained.Furthermore, he continued, smoking causes medical conditions called emphysema and bronchitis (COPD). In these conditions, the lung tissue is permanently damaged. As a result, such a patient develops cough and difficulty in breathing and may develop symptoms, which mimic asthma. Patient gets lung infections (pneumonia) easily. In this case, lung can not make enough oxygen which, ultimately, leads to breathing failure and death, he said.
