WE THE PEOPLE
Celebrating World Tobacco Day every year wont help until and unless people understand its wider implications
Its use estimated to cause 12% deaths globally by 2020, so they should stop smoking to lead healthy life
By: Shirjeel Ahmad
SRINAGAR:: It has become a ritual to celebrate World Tobacco Day every year on June1 all over the globe, but its production and consumption level dont show any appreciable decline and thus its ill-effects remain unchecked. Although the World Health Organization has undertaken lot of studies to spell out the ill-effects of tobacco smoking, yet there are above 1 billion smokers in the world today. Of these above 800 million are in developing countries. Globally around 47 per cent of smokers are men and 12 per cent women, which presents a serious scenario. It is further learnt that tobacco use among Indian students is on the rise. About 14 per cent of the students are addicted to this slow death. It is not just cigarette, but they consume other tobacco products as well and it results 10 deaths every minute. Tobacco addiction seems to have become a normal thing for the younger generation. It is seen that most of the people start smoking before the age of 18, with almost a quarter of them beginning before the age of 10. The younger children first try smoking, and then they become regular tobacco users and hence are less likely to abandon it.
Even thoug there is no direct reference to smoking either in the Quran or Ahadith, yet there is abundant co-relative evidence to suggest that smoking would have been prohibited along with drinking and gambling if it had been prevalent during the time of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Following the spread of this habit among the Muslims, all great Islamic scholars have concluded unanimously that smoking should be prohibited. We have to remember that a smoker inhales smoke that does not give him any nourishment. This is similar to the action of the people of the hell-fire, which will be fed harmful thorny plants. `No food will be there for them, but a poisonous thorny plant which neither nourishes them nor stills their hunger. Smoking ruins a persons acts for worship and whittles down their rewards. Smoking also spoils fasting, as it is hard for the smoker to fast with a spirit of devotion. Hence the smoker hastens to break his fast by lighting a cigarette instead of consuming dates or taking water. His fasting cannot be equated with that of other Muslims imbibed with the spirit of devotion. The reason is that they are not addicted to any evil habit and can therefore pray and fast undisturbed. All instructions in Islam are intended for our own good. Therefore, the scholars have declared smoking `Haraam. The logic is not hard to understand. The smoking has been found instrumental in the incidence of cancer, tuberculosis, heart attack, asthma, cough, premature birth, infertility, digestive disorders, high blood pressure, nervousness and dental diseases.
Islam is against use of harmful substances such as tobacco alcohol and other drugs which cause serious diseases so it becomes responsibility for all conscientious citizens to launch a campaign against use and consumption of such items. According to an estimate about 30 per cent of people in the Valley smoke tobacco. sUnless and until the vicious circle of Taste-Kick-Craving-Anxiety is broken totally, it is difficult to get people motivated to quit tobacco. It is not only an individuals effort that will help to curb the menace, but it is for the society as a whole, especially the elders to rise to the occasion and wage a war against use of tobacco in Kashmir Valley, said a group of educated persons of Kashmir Valley.
Hence celebrating World Tobacco Day every year wont help until and unless people understand its wider implications Mass awareness is the biggest weapon that helps in eradication of all evils. Therefore, not only common people, but religious scholars and intellectuals should launch a drive against the menace. The sooner this is done the better!
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