Srinagar- Approximately 32 percent of men and one percent of women in Jammu and Kashmir consume tobacco, with cigarettes being the predominant product, according to the National Family Health Survey (NHFS-5).
Official data obtained indicates that only 1 percent of women aged 15-49 use some form of tobacco. Among men, the most commonly used tobacco products are cigarettes (27%), bidis (4%), hookah, and cigars or pipes (2% each).
The use of any form of tobacco is slightly higher in rural areas (1.4% for women and 35% for men) than in urban areas (0.7% for women and 24% for men). Over one-third (35%) of men who smoke cigarettes reported smoking 5 to 9 cigarettes in the past 24 hours.
The data further reveals that around 0.2 percent of women in urban areas and 0.5 percent in rural areas use cigarettes, while 21.1 percent of men in urban areas and 28.7 percent in rural areas smoke cigarettes. It added that 0.1 percent of women and 4 percent of men smoke bidis, 0.1 percent of women and 2.2 percent of men smoke cigars or pipes, and 0.7 percent of women and 2.4 percent of men smoke hookah.
Cigarette consumption patterns show that 27 percent of smokers use 5 or fewer cigarettes per day, 34.7 percent use 5-9 cigarettes, 29.9 percent use 10-14 cigarettes, 6 percent use 15-24 cigarettes, and 0.3 percent use 25 or more cigarettes in 24 hours.
A survey conducted by the Department of Community Medicine at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar around a year ago revealed that approximately 23 percent of school-going adolescents in Srinagar are smokers. The survey found that 29 percent of adolescent boys were ever smokers, and 23 percent were current smokers.
More than half (60.8%) of adolescents were exposed to tobacco smoke in public places. Factors associated with current cigarette smoking among adolescents included parental smoking, peer smoking, exposure to movies with actors smoking, lack of anti-smoking media messages, and not discussing the dangers of smoking in class.
The survey indicated that 29 percent of adolescents had smoked at least one puff, and 23 percent were current smokers. Among respondents, 15.1 percent usually smoked 2-5 cigarettes on the days they smoked, and the majority (14.8%) bought their cigarettes from shops. Furthermore, 16.1 percent of current smokers spent more than 1,000 rupees on cigarettes in the month preceding the survey.
Overall, 19.6 percent of adolescents believed that boys who smoke cigarettes have more friends, and 31.4 percent thought that boys who smoke are more attractive. Nearly all surveyed adolescents (94.6%) believed that cigarette smoking is harmful to health, but only 18.6 percent discussed the harmful effects with family or friends. The majority (82.8%) believed that once someone starts smoking, it is difficult to quit. Among current smokers, 85.1 percent had parents who were smokers, and nearly all had smoker friends.
According to the survey, 84.6 percent of adolescents believed that smoke from others is harmful, and 95.7 percent indicated that smoking should be banned in public places. Among current smokers, 62.3 percent wanted to stop smoking at the time of the survey, but only 20.2 percent had tried to quit in the past year. Half of the current smokers believed they could quit if they wanted to, and around 40 percent had quit smoking in the past year, citing various reasons for quitting.
An official said it is crucial to address tobacco use among adolescents and enhance awareness of its dangers, given the increasing prevalence and widespread exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
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J&K Ranks 6th In India In Tobacco Use
Agencies
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory has been identified as having the 6th highest prevalence of tobacco use in the country, with over 20 percent of the population engaging in tobacco consumption, according to officials.
Dr Mir Mushtaq, State Nodal Officer (Kashmir Division) for the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), said that the prevalence of smoking tobacco in the region stands at 20.8%, ranking it sixth in the country, following Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
“The prevalence of smokeless tobacco in J&K is the lowest in the country at 4.3%, just after Himachal Pradesh,” he said.
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2 data, 35.2% of men, 5.1% of women, and 20.8% of all adults in J&K smoke tobacco. It adds that 6.8% of men, 1.5% of women, and 4.3% of all adults currently use smokeless tobacco. Overall, 39.7% of men, 6.2% of women, and 23.7% of all adults either smoke tobacco or use smokeless tobacco.
Dr Mushtaq said the government has implemented numerous measures to reduce tobacco consumption. “Over the past four years, thousands of challans have been issued and substantial fines collected from violators for smoking in public places in the Kashmir division. These efforts have resulted in hundreds of people quitting smoking, with thousands receiving counselling and pharmacotherapy sessions,” he said.
“Awareness programs are being conducted to inform people about the ill effects of tobacco. If we can make people conscious of the dangers, enforcement will not be as necessary,” the Nodal Officer said, adding, “Various awareness initiatives have already been launched to educate the public about the hazards of tobacco use, and officials have been instructed to carry out regular enforcement drives for the implementation of COTPA-2003.”
According to officials, smokers and tobacco users are 2.5 times more likely to develop tuberculosis (TB). “Tobacco use raises the risk of TB, increases recurrence, and impairs treatment,” they said while urging people to quit tobacco for a healthier future.
The government of Jammu and Kashmir has imposed a complete ban on the sale of loose cigarettes, loose bidis, and loose tobacco. All educational institutions and tourist destinations have been declared tobacco-free zones.
Tobacco is recognised as the leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide, killing over seven million people globally and more than one million in India annually. Lung cancer has emerged as the second most common cancer, and in recent decades, Kashmir has seen a rise in cases of lung and breast cancers.
Hospital-based data from the Kashmir Valley reveals a higher incidence of lung cancer among males, directly correlated to the duration and frequency of smoking. While quitting smoking reduces the risk of developing cancer, the risk does not disappear entirely, the officials said.
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