Tobacco menace grips city’s youth

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

As the world observes World No Tobacco Day today, health experts from the city are raising serious concerns over the sharp rise in tobacco-related oral cancer cases, especially among young adults.

In the city’s cancer care facilities, the ENT department is witnessing a disturbing trend: patients in their early 30s are undergoing surgeries for cancer in the tongue, cheeks, and gums. “This is no longer limited to the older population. We are now seeing youth suffering due to long-term tobacco exposure,” said a senior oncologist. The hospital’s ENT department treated 3,700 patients in the last year alone, with 1,200 new cases registered, 80 of which required major surgeries in .

Most of these cases, he added, could be prevented with early screening and increased awareness. On World No Tobacco Day, city doctors and public health officials send a unified message: Tobacco is destroying lives quit before it’s too late.

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Nicotine gum helps curb addiction

Tobacco addiction often arises from psychological issues like depression. Nicotine offers temporary relief by stimulating the brain, but Nicotine Replacement Therapy especially nicotine gum is an effective, safer way to gradually reduce dependence.

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5 years of deaddiction halves cancer risk

Medical studies confirm that if a person quits all forms of tobacco whether smoking or chewing for at least five years, the risk of developing oral cancer decreases by 20 to 50 percent. Complete deaddiction is crucial, underscoring the urgent need to quit tobacco entirely.

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Tongue Reconstructions: A Lifeline for Cancer Patients

Over the past year, 20% of oral cancer patients at the government cancer hospital underwent successful tongue reconstruction surgeries. Though intricate, these procedures are proving life-changing for many survivors.

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Youth are falling prey to Tobacco

“Earlier, oral cancer was mostly detected around the age of 50. Today, I see patients as young as 25. It’s alarming how widespread tobacco use has become among youth. As a cancer surgeon, I’ve witnessed firsthand how this habit is pushing an entire generation toward life-threatening illness”

-Dr. Nitin A. Tathe, Cancer Surgeon.

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Tobacco triggers temporary high, long-term harm

“Tobacco consumption activates the sympathetic nervous system, causing a temporary increase in heart rate and a false sense of satisfaction. Many users deny addiction, claiming it’s not a habit. But over time, I’ve seen countless such individuals fall into dependency many now battling cancer,” -Dr. Meraj Quadri, M.D. (Psychiatry), MBBS.