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Since volumes are available condemning the
evils of smoking, tobacco /zarda chewing, pan masala,
drugs, alcohol, it is wise to be silent on these
topics.However, the author cannot resist appending a few
words on the subject. It is alarming that India has the
third highest number of tobacco related deaths in the
world with an estimated one in every five deaths in the
country, occurring due to tobacco use, while in developed
countries due to health awareness people are giving up
tobacco. Smoking
Smoking is very
harmful for the smoker as well as for his companions. It
is the single biggest avoidable menace to good health.
Smoking causes impotence and infertility besides
narrowing and hardening of arteries. Smoking is also
responsible for paralytic stroke, brain hemorrhage,
angina, heart attack, chronic bronchitis, ulcers, cancer
etc. Nicotine is a drug that occurs naturally in the
tobacco leaf. In higher doses, nicotine, like other
addictive drugs including heroin and cocaine is a poison.
Nicotine has a powerful effect on the brain and the
central nervous system. Nicotine causes an increase in
the heart rate and in the rate of breathing - thereby
making the heart work harder. Therefore, smoking kills
more people every year than all other drugs and alcohol
combined. Even non-smokers who are exposed to smoke
suffer more than the smokers themselves, because of
passive smoking.
Social attitudes towards smoking have changed
dramatically in the civilized countries for the past few
years and all smokers are aware of these. Smokers are
becoming a lonely minority and they know their habit or
addiction is harming those around them. Nearly all of
them would like to quit smoking but one has to have a
strong will to quit in one stroke and not slowly
and steadily. Throw away all cigarettes, lighters,
matches and ash-trays. Drink lots of water, fruit juices
and herbal teas. Keep yourself busy. When the urge to
smoke hits, take deep breath and hold for a few seconds.
In fact, regular pranayama helps smokers quit and
stay off cigarettes. Play with something like pencil or
pain in hand. Eat several small meals. After quitting,
you feel better and look better day by day in all
respects by getting rid of diseases.
Tobacco
/Zarda Chewing
This is certainly
worse than alcohol and smoking as it is solely
responsible for oral cancer, abdomen ulcers besides
leading to many other diseases of the abdomen, lungs,
liver, throat and brain. It makes the brain tissues
sluggish, dull, numb and inactive making the person
incompetent for brain work. Zarda / tobacco
contains nicotine just like cigarettes. Nicotine is a
harmful drug that takes you up then drops you flat. It
makes you want more. It gets you hooked. Then you are in
real trouble. Quit chewing , as suggested above, in one
stroke and as soon as possible.
Pan
Masala
Its effect is
generally like zarda / tobacco and highly
addictive in Nature. It is unfortunate that the habit of
taking pan masala is acquiring a status symbol. If one
knows the reality ( toxic ingredients and harmful
effects) one will never like to touch it. Shun it as
suggested above.
Alcohol
Apart from causing
numerous social, moral and legal harms, ALCOHOL gives
rise to various health problems including damaging the
liver which is a very touch organ. It directly attacks
and causes cirrhosis of the liver or cancer of the liver
, gastritis,ulcer, nervous disorders etc.
The following anecdote vividly illustrates the evils of
alcohol :
Drink is a demon that
ruins man. Once, so the legend goes, the devil approached
a man and said,"You are about to die. I can save you
from death in any one of these 3 ways :
Kill your servant. Beat your wife. Drink this wine."
Let me think" said the man. "To kill my
faithful servant is impossible ; to ill-treat my wife is
ridiculous, I will drink the wine."
He drank the wine and being drunk he beat his wife and
killed his servant who attempted to defend her.
When the servant died, wisdom dawned. But it was too
late. The drunken man repented for life time.
Shed
The Habit of Drinking Before Forced To Shed Tears.
"For he
shall be great in the sight of the Lord ;and shall drink
neither wine nor strong drink ; and he shall be filled
with the Holy Ghost, even from his mothers
womb."
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