Letters to The EDITOR: Heatwaves

Heatwaves

The world has been experiencing extreme heatwaves in various parts of the world. These heatwaves are having a significant impact on both the environment and the human population. High temperatures can lead to heat-related illnesses, particularly in vulnerable populations such as the elderly and young children. In recent years, there has been an increase in the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, which has been attributed to climate change. Rising global temperatures, changes in weather patterns, and other environmental factors have all contributed to the heightened risk of heatwaves. As a result, there is a growing need for proactive measures to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat events. Efforts to address heatwaves include the development of heat action plans, which outline strategies for reducing heat-related illnesses and deaths during extreme temperatures. These plans often involve public health initiatives, such as providing cooling centres and distributing information on staying safe in hot weather. Additionally, urban planning and design can play a crucial role in reducing the impacts of heatwaves, such as by incorporating green spaces and minimising heat-absorbing surfaces. It is crucial for governments, communities, and individuals to take heatwaves seriously and work together to implement measures that can help minimise the impacts of extreme heat events. By prioritizing public health and environmental resilience, it is possible to build more adaptive and sustainable communities in the face of a changing climate.

Jubel D’Cruz,

jubeldcruz@yahoo.com

Tobacco: A hidden killer

Today, tobacco producers are targeting the precious human resource of youth through the extension of social media platform campaigns. Nearly 8 million deaths worldwide each year from the tobacco pandemic is indeed one of the largest risks to public health that the world has ever faced. Cigarette smoking is the most common form of tobacco consumption. Pipe tobacco, hot tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, bidis, Kreteks, gutka, etc. are other examples of tobacco products. Your editorial titled ‘The alarm bell on rising tobacco use in the Northeast’, published in your esteemed daily on May 31 on the occasion of this year’s ‘World No Tobacco Day’, with the theme ‘protecting children from tobacco industry interference’, has rightly said that the recent seizure of huge quantities of illicit cigarette sticks smuggled across the India-Myanmar border is only the tip of the iceberg of an alarming rise in tobacco use in the region. Undoubtedly, the illicit market has not only caused huge revenue losses to the government but also put more people at risk of the highest incidence of cancer in the region. Studies revealed that children between 13 and 15 years of age consume tobacco and nicotine products regularly. Of the 8 million fatalities, nearly 7 million are directly linked to tobacco use, and more than 1.3 million are brought on by non-smokers exposed to passive smoking. Pregnancy-related smoking has been linked to a number of chronic health issues in the offspring. Addiction to tobacco is a complex behavioural, cognitive, and physical issue. Hence, it is difficult for an addicted person to quit smoking. The most effective method of reducing tobacco consumption, especially among young people from particularly low-income groups, is to impose high taxes on tobacco products. Today, everyone present in an enclosed place inhales tobacco smoke, which can be reduced to an acceptable level using ventilation or filtration alone. Environments free of smoke are the only ones that offer adequate protection. Several nations, including India, have passed legislation to shield citizens from tobacco smoke in public places. People from all walks of life should join in inspiring individuals to give up tobacco and tobacco products for good. It is the right time for the states in the region to undertake serious efforts to ensure that awareness and enforcement against the hidden danger of tobacco do not remain symbolic.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati 

Say no to tobacco

To succeed in the war against a few threatening diseases, one has to win the all-important battle against tobacco. Annually, about eight million people succumb to the direct and synergistic effects of tobacco, and the number is by no means static. World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), on May 31, is aimed at convincing smokers to kick the habit through awareness. Quitters are generally considered losers; not tobacco quitters—they always win. Both chewed tobacco and smoked tobacco are dangerous to the body due to the toxic chemicals in them. 

Many cancers and lifestyle diseases are attributed to tobacco. The addictive effects of smoking and chewing tobacco are indescribable. The myth that smoking “a certain number of packs” of beedi and cigarettes per day will lead to cancer should be eliminated because it is more often the duration of smoking that is the culprit, though the number of cigarettes smoked per day cannot be discounted. However, the consoling factor is that quitting smoking almost always helps chronic smokers, and it is nothing more than mind over matter.  

True to expectations, the strong tobacco lobby has been a stumbling block to governmental efforts to bring in a ban on smoking and chewed tobacco. The WNTD campaign cannot be a one-day affair; an inexorable campaign to curb smoking and chewing tobacco is essential. It is apt that the World Health Organisation (WHO) considers smoking an “epidemic.” “Protecting children from tobacco industry influence” is an extremely contemporary theme this year.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

gbhat13@gmail.com