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Why does South Asia account for 80% of global smokeless tobacco use?
Smokeless tobacco products are used in ways different from smoking. Common ways of use include chewing, sniffing or placing the product between the gums and cheeks or lips. In South Asia, the use of smokeless tobacco is all the rage, with the region accounting for 80% of global consumption. According to statistics, about 300 million people around the world are using this product, and this number is still rising.
Many individuals who use smokeless tobacco, especially young people, may therefore extend their tobacco use to the habit of smoking cigarettes.
Smokeless tobacco products come in many forms, including chewing tobacco, sniffing tobacco, tobacco nuggets and dissolvable tobacco products. All these smoke-free products contain nicotine and are therefore highly addictive. Quitting smokeless tobacco is as challenging as quitting smoking, so it's important to understand the dangers of smokeless tobacco.
Health effects of smokeless tobacco
Smokeless tobacco use can lead to a variety of health problems, including dental disease, oral cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and more. Additionally, it increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Of particular note, smokeless tobacco use during pregnancy may lead to negative reproductive effects such as miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight.
Smokeless tobacco use kills approximately 650,000 people worldwide every year, a significant number of them in South Asia.
Types of smokeless tobacco
There are a variety of smokeless tobacco products on the market, including:
- Chewing Tobacco - Tobacco that is chewed directly.
- Sniffing tobacco - Tobacco inhaled through the nose.
- Infused tobacco - Tobacco placed between the lips and gums.
- Inhaled tobacco - like "Gutka", is very popular in South Asia.
- Tobacco Gum - Chewing gum containing tobacco.
Why is smokeless tobacco so popular in South Asia?
The reason why smokeless tobacco use is so high in South Asia is partly due to the influence of cultural traditions, and partly because smokeless tobacco is more socially acceptable than other forms of tobacco. In addition, many products are advertised and received to such an extent that they become part of a social campaign.
In South Asia, these smokeless tobacco products are considered part of cultural heritage, and there is little interest in regulating these products.
Public policy and future challenges
Although the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health agencies have warned of the dangers of smokeless tobacco, regulation of its marketing and youth use remains weak. In many countries, effective legal frameworks to control smokeless tobacco use are lacking.
Governments of various countries have different regulations on smokeless tobacco products. Some countries, such as Bhutan, Singapore and Sri Lanka, have completely banned the production and sale of smokeless tobacco, while other countries have only restricted some products
Conclusion
The prevalence of smokeless tobacco use in South Asia reflects the complex relationship between sociocultural and economic circumstances. Faced with the serious health risks of smokeless tobacco and its global epidemic, future improvement measures may require deeper cultural reforms and more stringent policy measures to protect public health. In this context, can we effectively promote the concept of public health while respecting culture?
