What you can to do?

      Avoid experimenting with tobacco

      If you are a tobacco user ask your nearby health worker or doctor about the way to quit tobacco use.

      Your determination for keeping healthy is enough for quitting the dangerous habit.

Exposure to Second- hand Smoke (SHS)

Smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, beedi, cigar or hookah and the smoke exhaled by the smoker are as harmful as smoking itself.

      Second-hand smoke contains more than 50 cancer-causing chemicals

      It increases the risks of cancer and heart & chest diseases like bronchitis and pneumonia.

      It hampers the growth of the baby in the mother’s womb

      It causes asthma and ear infection in children.

      Children, pregnant women and older people are most vulnerable.

There is no level of safe exposure to second-hand smoke.

What you can to do?

You can protect yourself and your loved ones by:

      Making your home and car smoke-free.

      Asking people not to smoke around   you and your children.

      Teaching children to stay away from smoke.

      Remind the smokers about the provisions of smoke-free laws

      Choosing restaurants and other businesses that are smoke-free.

      If your spouse or partner smokes, have him or her refrain from smoking indoors.

When you absolutely must share a room with people who are smoking, sit as far away from them as possible and avoid sitting in the direction of drifting smoke.

Chewing tobacco causes

      Oral and throat cancers

      Increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases

      Decomposing and decaying teeth

      Increased risk of women to give still birth and low birth-weight babies

      Bad breadth

      Bad habit of spitting every where

Myths, NOT facts

      Chewing tobacco is good for teeth;

      Tobacco in dentifrice adds extra strength;

      Tobacco chewing / application of gul relieves toothache;

      Chewing tobacco keeps one awake and active;

      Tobacco water (hookah water) is antiseptic.

What you can do?

      Quit tobacco products and live a healthy and clean life.

      Ask the nearby health worker, or your physician how to quit tobacco products

Tobacco use exacerbates poverty

      Tobacco use brings additional health care costs.

      It causes income loss due to illness and premature deaths.

      Expenditure on tobacco means less money for food, education and health care.

      It thus increases malnutrition of the family.