Smoking And Its Harmful Effects

Smoking is one of the major lifestyle factors influencing the health of human beings. Life-long cigarette smokers have a higher prevalence of common diseases such as atherosclerosis and COPD with significant systemic impact. Tobacco use is associated with adverse health effects and is the prime cause of deaths globally, accounting for more than 7 million deaths annually. India is home to a substantial number of tobacco users, frequently characterized by people who are consuming smoke and smokeless tobacco, the synergistic effect of which accounts for a significant number. Lack of awareness among people belonging to poor socioeconomic strata of the society, societal influence, and poor implementation of anti-tobacco laws could be the possible reasons for its widespread incidence. Given the availability of efficacious interventions for cigarette smoking cessation, concerted efforts should be made by healthcare providers and public health professionals to promote smoking cessation as a valuable approach for reducing non-smokers¿ exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. In this book, in-depth review of literature is presented along with latest research updates.