Glad that I am not hooked to smoking-After-thoughts during retirement

 

12 December 2021

Recent news (9^th Dec 2021) about New Zealand’s reported move to ban smoking for next generation by 2025 was a nice welcome read. It reminded me of my smoking experience in the past.

It must have been in early 1960s that I smoked handmade roll containing aswain (caraway) seeds to take care of colds. I did so either because my mother told of benefits of aswain seeds or someone suggesting that smoking aswain seeds will relieve me of colds. I must have been 10-12 years old. Besides, aswain seed eating is supposed to bring in warmth during winter. Many do eat a spoonful of aswain seeds plain or salted limed regularly the same way as they eat aniseeds (fennel or saunf) after meals, as these are supposedly digestive too.

Next time I smoked a cigarette was when I was in college in early 1970s and I used to have a company of my college mates during annual educational tours, and was away from praying eyes of my elders at home. Although it was an occasional experience for many, some of my college mates were hooked to smoking (and later drinking). I did not continue it on even once-a-while basis, as cigarettes in those days were costly and I was always short of money. Besides, I did not develop any special liking for it. Now, in my retirement, I feel greatly relieved that I do not have this habit.

In 1970s, we used to see movies that showed actors smoking cigarettes. It was quite an impression that suggested all successful people smoked and is normal in life. At times, I would also see women smoking cigarettes. It was a sight that amused me, as I thought it of men’s prerogative.

Over the years, the Government came under heavy attack for directly and indirectly promoting smoking as the NGOs and civil societies campaigned for smoking ban in view of direct connection between smoking and cancer, especially of throat. Dr. Balram Bhargava, former Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research and a renowned physician clearly wrote in the Foreword on Tobacco monograph: “… Tobacco use is a serious public health issue in India which is contributing to high disease burden.” Thus, there was a large section of medical faculty which was against smoking, not only in India but also all over the world.

Personally, my maternal uncle who smoked cigarettes suffered from throat cancer. And it was a stark reminder of what smoking can do to the health of near and dear.

 As the time passed, the Governments too gave in to the anti-smoking campaign and prevailed upon the companies to highlight statutory warning that “smoking is injurious to health”. Later, displays on the package include visuals of cancer patients as many did not know reading the taglines on the packages.

I remember reading annual budgets and watching the finance ministers specifically mentioning their resolve to increase taxes on cigarettes annually. Noteworthy was the Rajiv Gandhi’s budget that included taxation on the basis of length of cigarettes as it was felt that small sticks will lead to less smoking. However, despite increasing taxes on cigarettes, companies involving in tobacco continued to do roaring business in last two-three decades of the 20^th century. It is only in the first decade of the 21^st century that smoking started declining amongst people, as there were more restrictions in public places. People started asserting their rights of smoke-free spaces in public. Smokers too realised that they were on a losing side and often acceded to the request to stop smoking if non-smokers objected to or realised mood of the group.

During my career, I knew of my colleagues who would smoke anywhere between 2-6 cigarettes daily in offices. One of the strategies to reduce consumption was to buy a cigarette at a time and not a packet of 10 cigarettes once. This would reduce their visits to the cigarette shops. Some time, busy schedule will come in the way of going to the cigarette kiosks again and again. Over the years, some of the colleagues succeeded in controlling this habit. Others could give up for some time to start it again. I know the person who was so addicted of smoking that even during chemotherapy, he will smoke cigarettes. Another will carry cigarettes in large number if he is visiting abroad and pay custom duty very willingly. I know only few who could give up the habit. That was very remarkable resolve of them.

I am not sure if the percentage of smokers has decreased over the years. Yet, the absolute number of smokers could be mind-boggling in our country. I am told that this habit is growing amongst youth as they want to enjoy the life.

A senior colleague of mine who headed tobacco research station in the Gujarat Agricultural University in 1980s was however very dismissive of the moves to ban smoking, as he felt that it would deprive poor farmers of their livelihood. Quite naturally, the tobacco farmers are against the smoking ban as tobacco provides for bidi and cigarettes. In conjunction, both tobacco industry as represented by ASSOCHAM and the Federation of All India Farmers Association made regular representations to the Government calling for abandoning anti-tobacco policies and actions as it is discrimination against the tobacco farmers. Yet, there are some who value their freedom to smoke.

Tobacco farming in India is localized. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under its R and D arm, Indian Council of Agricultural Research has an exclusive institute devoted to tobacco, Central Tobacco Research Institute at Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. As per report in Economic Times April 2020, tobacco crop at farmers’ level is valued at Rs 3500 Crores and after value addition for export is of Rs 5000 Crores. Another report in 2020 shows that Indian export is valued at Rs 6000 Crores, mostly to the Europe.

                            hookah, traditional way of smoking

It is mostly vote bank and commercial interests that tobacco industry is still thriving in the country. If the Government is sincere in its approach, it can help the tobacco farmers to diversify the cropping system with incentives and compensation. After all, earning of Rs 5000 Crore or a tobacco crop of Rs 3500 Crore is not a big one as compared to the Government’s Agricultural gross domestic products (GDP) valued at 19.5 lakh Crore annually, less than 0.25% of Ag GDP.

A million people who die of smoking every year and many more millions pre-maturely of diseases associated with or aggravated by smoking will be able to survive a day or more. And a ban on smoking is not a great price to pay for the Government, similar to what New Zealand is aiming at by 2025. Besides, making people pay for cure of their tobacco related ailments, similar to Singapore’s move for those who refuse Covid-19 vaccine mandates, will go a long way for achieving these objectives of tobacco-free India.