Mumbai: More than two million women in India continue to use tobacco while they are pregnant. It has been found that over 8.5 percent of the mothers in the country use tobacco.
Studies have revealed that smoking by pregnant mothers cause serious consequences to their off springs. A lot of behavioral problems have been witnessed among the children of the smoking mothers. The studies have also shown that smoking by pregnant mothers degrades brain neurotransmitter activity which leads to conduct disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), early drug dependence, and tendency towards violent offences.
It has been found that it becomes very for children to give up smoking when they inherit the habit from a smoking mother. The studies also say that chances of lung cancer is 80% more among smokers’ children. Passive smoking hazards also rates very high.
According to the studies, over 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year among non-smokers. Infants exposed to tobacco smoke suffer from ear infections, asthma, and a high risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Official statistics point out that there are 25million pregnancies happening annually in India, while cessation of smoking is a neglected area. The country has 61 tobacco cessation centers (TCC) directly supervised by the government. The need for more TCCs and awareness and community participation to reduce smoking is a must, feels the government.
- Health Highlights: Feb. 15, 2011 – U.S. News & World Report
- Nearly 25 million in US have asthma: govt – Reuters
- Target for Smoking Cessation and Weight Control Identified – Medscape
- Secondhand Smoke Said to Kill 600000 a Year – Consumer Affairs
- Cancer to kill 1.3 million in Europe in 2011 – Reuters
- Pricey cigarettes mean fewer teens smoke – Reuters
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Not Linked to XMRV, Studies Show – ThirdAge
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Not Linked to XMRV, Studies Show – ThirdAge
- World No Tobacco Day: Progress but not nearly enough, agency says – Los Angeles Times
- Imperial Tobacco and BAT fall as Citi says smoking could disappear by 2050 – The Guardian
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