-Doctors said : youth should avoid nicotine addiction
– Fortis Gurugram organized a seminar to raise awareness on the harmful effects of tobacco
– Fortis supported the national goal of “Tobacco Free Generation India 2040”
Gurugram : World No Tobacco Day is celebrated every year on 31 May. In India, about 5500 children are starting to consume tobacco every day and e-cigarettes are replacing traditional cigarettes among urban youth. Experts have described it as a “perfect storm” for public health. Tobacco is the main cause of many diseases including lung cancer and heart disease. Cigarettes and bidis also contain tobacco and a large number of youth are falling prey to its addiction. Doctors have described tobacco as a major cause of cancer.
On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, a discussion was organized at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, in which many doctors told important things related to tobacco. This program was organized in line with the global theme of the World Health Organization “Beyond Smoke: The Future of Prevention, Innovation, and Hope”. During this, doctors warned people that a new wave of lung cancer and heart disease is emerging due to smoking and vaping. Not only this, cases of lung cancer are increasing rapidly even in non-smokers due to exposure to toxic air pollution, which is worrying.
Dr. Ankur Bahl, Senior Director, Medical Oncology Department, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, said that smoking and vaping together increases the risk of lung cancer four times. Nicotine is found in tobacco and young adults are becoming the new center of nicotine addiction. Now it is not only smokers who are suffering from cancer. We are seeing a sharp increase in lung cancer cases, especially in those exposed to high air pollution. Immunotherapy and mRNA vaccines are a ray of hope, but tobacco control remains our most effective prevention strategy today.
Dr Ankur Bahl said that about 40% of lung cancer cases are related to smoking or vaping, while 20% of cases are caused by long-term exposure to air pollution. 20% of lung cancer cases are caused by consuming smokeless tobacco products i.e. khaini and gutkha. About 20% of lung cancer cases are seen in non-smokers, who have no direct connection with tobacco and have cancer due to genetic reasons.
According to Dr Ankur Bahl, nowadays AI can also help in quitting smoking, some of which are as follows-
SmokeMon Smart Necklace: Detects smoking in real time and vibrates to remind the user.
– AI-powered Quitbots: Provide personalized messages, triggers and 24×7 support.
– Smartwatch cues: Detects wrist-to-mouth movements and alerts before a potential relapse.
Dr Manoj Goel, Principal Director & Unit Head, Pulmonology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram said, “Vaping is often presented as a ‘safer’ option, but evidence suggests otherwise. When vaping and smoking are combined, it increases the risk of lung cancer by up to four times. In addition, rapid urbanisation in Gurugram is increasing air pollution, especially the high concentration of PM2.5 particles, creating a dangerous situation for respiratory diseases.”
According to experts, “We are most concerned about teenage girls and young women being exposed to vaping and polluted air. These toxic elements not only affect the lungs, but also affect reproductive health, fetal development and hormone balance. In addition, smoking increases the risk of premature menopause in women, which can generally occur 1 to 4 years earlier than non-smoking women. Based on our experience, about 60–70% of 100 young female tobacco users have menstrual problems, such as irregular periods or severe pain. At the same time, about 30–40% of women face reproductive problems, including difficulty in conceiving or early menopause. Today’s prevention is the protection of future generations.” Mr. Yash Rawat, Facility Director and Vice President, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram said, “At Fortis, we believe that every step towards a tobacco-free life is an important step towards better health and a brighter future. On the occasion of No Tobacco Day, we reiterate our commitment to continue spreading awareness, supporting tobacco cessation and building a healthy, smoke-free society.”
The event was attended by Dr. Ankur Bahl, Senior Director, Medical Oncology, Dr. Vinayak Agarwal, Senior Director & Head, Non-Invasive Cardiology, Dr. Vedant Kabra, Principal Director, Surgical Oncology, Dr. Mukta Kapila, Director & Head, Obstetrics & Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Dr. Sanjat Chivane, Director, Cardiology, Dr. Praveen Gupta, Principal Director & Head, Neurology, Dr. Manoj Goyal, Principal Director & Unit Head, Pulmonology, Dr. Sameer Parikh, Director Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences and Mr. Yash Rawat, Facility Director & Vice President, Fortis Hospital, Gurugram