Special Day- World No Tobacco Day

By- Samyati Mohanty

Men, on average, consume more tobacco products than women. Men, on average, consume tobacco products at a higher rate than women. Cigarettes were smoked by 16.7% of adult males and 13.6 percent of adult females in 2015. 

These discrepancies may be influenced by physiological (particularly ovarian hormones), cultural, and behavioural factors. Smokers struggle to stop for a variety of reasons, including cigarette cravings that can be triggered by sensory signals and stress. Finally, World No Tobacco Day highlights what WHO is doing to combat the tobacco epidemic, which kills up to half of its users and contributes to the deaths of more than eight million people each year, as well as what people can do to protect future generations and allow everyone the opportunity to claim their right to health.

Smokers have a difficult time quitting for a variety of reasons, including cigarette cravings, which can be triggered by sensory signals and stress. According to studies, women have stronger stress appetites than men, while men may be more responsive to environmental cues. According to longitudinal data from four industrialised countries, men and women did not differ in their desire to quit, plans to quit, or efforts to quit. Women, on the other hand, were 31% less likely to successfully quit smoking. Women may struggle to quit smoking due to post-cessation weight gain. This issue should be addressed in all behavioural therapy and adjunct treatments for smokers.

Women may have a lower overall quitting rate due to gender differences in medication reactivity. Varenicline, for example, had superior short- and immediate-term efficacy in female smokers (at 3 and 6 months). Women and men have the same 1-year quit rates when using varenicline. In women, a combination of varenicline and bupropion proved less effective than in men for smoking cessation.

Another issue with women's tobacco consumption is smoking during pregnancy.

Smoking during pregnancy has been related to a number of negative effects, including:

• Preterm pregnancy and low birth weight
• Head growth is restricted.
• Placental issues
• Stillbirth risk is higher.
• Miscarriage risk is higher.

Prenatal smoking exposure has also been related to health and developmental implications in children, potentially due to DNA methylation, including: 

• worse lung function
• persistent wheeze
• Asthma

Strabismus, refractive errors, and retinopathy are all examples of visual problems.

There are around 12.1 million female smokers in India. There are several reasons why women smoke. Increased stress, so-called metro culture, and a slew of other factors all contribute to Indian women smoking.

The harmful effects of smoking on one's health are alarming, and it has claimed countless lives.

Why do Indian women smoke, then? 

Let's take a look at what we've got.

• A stress reliever
• It appears to be cool.
• The sensation of being a self-sufficient woman

In their quest for weight loss, some people assume that smoking helps them lose weight when, in reality, it harms their skin and figure.

Smoking's Negative Effects on Women's Health

So, what exactly does smoking do to your body?

1. Bone density decreased- this is particularly critical for women who smoke and have entered menopause. Smokers have lower bone density than nonsmokers. They are more likely to suffer a hip fracture than the general female population.
2. Rheumatoid Ailment (RA) is a joint-related arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory illness that causes joint pain. Women who smoke are more likely than nonsmokers to acquire rheumatoid arthritis.
3. Gum disease is caused by tobacco smoking, and it can lead to bone and tooth problems.
4. Cataracts- Smokers are more likely to acquire cataracts, which are distinguished by a hazy lens.
5. Obstacles to pregnancy- Smoking women have a more difficult time conceiving. When pregnant, smoking doubles the risk of miscarriage.
6. Problems with Ulcers- Similar to gum disease, smoking can cause stomach ulcers, which can lead to death.
7. Depression- It has been shown that women who smoke are more prone to depression than men.
8. Menstrual issues- Women who smoke have been found to experience menstrual troubles, such as irregular or unpleasant periods. Women who smoke are more likely to have menopause at a younger age and with more severe symptoms.
9. Breathing issues- Smoking causes lung illnesses, and women who smoke are more prone to develop breathing issues..

How Can You Quit Smoking?

According to the findings of neuroimaging studies, smoking activates men's reward pathways more than women's. Men smoke for the reinforcing effects of nicotine, whereas women smoke to regulate mood or in reaction to cigarette-related cues, according to this report. Lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol predicted relapse in men during abstinence, according to a research comparing stress reactions and craving in male and female smokers who were trying to quit. High cortisol levels, on the other hand, were linked to relapse in women. Other research on abstinence indicated that smoking a cigarette containing nicotine, rather than a de-nicotinized cigarette, reduced withdrawal symptoms and low mood in men more than women. Cigarettes with and without nicotine provided comparable alleviation to women, implying that they considered the medication less satisfying than men.

Smoking is a bad habit that must be broken. To stop smoking, you can take a number of actions. Make a plan to stop doing something and stick to it. Exercise, going for a walk or run, being cheerful, avoiding things that make you want to smoke, getting aid from professionals with a regular health exam, and so on are all good ways to get rid of this evil from your life.

Smoking is a difficult habit to break, but it is possible to do so with perseverance and patience. Get in touch and book a health check-up before it's too late to avoid the development of a disease.