When it comes to tobacco, what we have are lies, lies, and still more lies. The myths about tobacco abound in all shapes and sizes. People start smoking for many reasons. Many continue to puff away because they buy into certain persistent myths about tobacco use. However, many myths about smoking either encourage people to begin or continue smoking or deter them from quitting.
Most common myths are
There is a myth that ‘light’ or ‘mild’ cigarettes are harmless.
Smokeless tobacco cigarettes are safe.
“If I smoke, it harms only me without effecting others. So it’s my wish”- this is the most common one.
Quitting will lead to weight gain
When a person is healthy, tobacco intake will not effect him negatively.
If one tries to quit smoking, that person will become stressed.
But the actual fact is, smoking stains teeth, causes facial wrinkles, depletes energy and causes bad breath.
Smoking can cause emphysema, bronchitis, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer of the mouth, larynx and esophagus and many other diseases.
The nicotine taken in from smoking affects the entire body.
The dangers of second hand smoke are well documented. Second hand smoke according to the National Cancer Institute makes nonsmokers more susceptible to asthma attacks and other respiratory problems.
Dr Prashanth M V, from Ayurdhama, said
“It is better to quit smoking before it affects your health. There are so many myths about tobacco consumption. People fall into bad habits like this even without knowing the effects. Once a person is addicted, it becomes very difficult to leave it. Tar, in the cigarette will cause lung cancer later. There are so many treatments to get rid of the habit.”