The ill-effects of smoking are not a new revelation. But, most smokers spin a surprise look, when they hear about the harmful effects of smoking. However, there is little to wonder, after all, smoking is nothing but the effect of psychoactive drug nicotine and its stimulating effects on the brain.

Basically, what the drug does is create a pleasurable effect on the smoker, and once it’s inhaled, more often than not people start depending on the drug. Thus, turning non-smokers into smokers.

The reasons for inhaling that first drag could be plenty. And, most of it is the state of mind. Haven’t you heard of reasons like, "Everyone around me smokes, so how can I be seen without a light?" or "It tingles my creative brain" or "A cigarette makes me feel confident." But have you realised that these are nothing but make believe situations created by you. What you are doing here is playing mind games with yourself.

Remember, smokers are not considered stylish or crass. The habit of smoking is what makes a person. So, if it’s just about a habit, then one can adapt a new habit that is not just chic, but healthy for everyone. Isn’t it? So, instead of creating excuses, use your mind to imagine yourself as a non-smoker every night before you go to sleep.

It is believed that your subconscious mind will work on the last thoughts before you retire for the day. I know, it’s easy to preach, but it is still worth a shot. And, we are sure that if your mind takes it seriously, you may even be able to come up with a book on interesting facts on how to use your state of mind to quit smoking. So, go on and play some mind games.

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Smoking Effects

Each day 55,000 children in India start using tobacco, Gutkha the chewable tobacco is aimed at the younger generation of the country. But you may wonder how do these companies manage to reach the minds of this children when they are not allowed to advertise these products.

After the ban the companies opened their doors to surrogate advertisement, an advertisement has the logo or brand of another company advertised within it. Lets take a look at this report done by a french channel on surrogate advertisements done in India.



One of the biggest surrogate advertisement market is the film Industry Bollywood, in 2004 and 2005, 89% of all the released movies had smoking scenes in them. Below is a small documentary on smoking in movies, with interesting statistics on the current scenario in India with regards to smoking.



According to research done by the Salaam Bombay Foundation, 3260 children between the age of 12 to 17 years fro municipal and private schools were asked to fill out a self-administered questionnaire.

When asked to recall slogans of any tobacco company or brand…

• 71% recalled Manikchand – Oonche log, oonchi pasand


• 12% recalled Goa – Yahan bhi Khilate hain, whan bhi, Goa No 1


• 2% recalled Sanket


• 0.4% recalled Shimla


• 15% recalled other brands

When asked to associate slogans with brands 63% could associate the slogan while 37% could not. What kind of a message will a child get from, Oonche log, oonchi pasand

Some of the observations learnt through this research is that, Gutkha advertising has had a deep impact on the minds of children although it has been banned since August 2002.

As children cannot easily disassociate Manikchand Water from Manikchand Gutkha, tobacco manufacturing companies should not be allowed to use surrogate advertisements. TV and radio are the hotspots as to where these messages are broadcasted to the children, the future of our country!

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Cartoon by Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi

With increasing number of people leading fast-paced and stressful lives, getting addicted to something that makes you feel good for a moment could be easy. But only later on do you realise the ill-effects of that addiction. We know that tobacco can make us more susceptible to diseases like cancer, but we still pick up the habit, perhaps due to cleverly marketed strategies?

The good feelings that result when an addictive drug is present, and the bad feelings when it's absent, make breaking any addiction very difficult. Smoking is a common addiction, because it leads to changes in the brain that make people want to use it more and more.

Historically, nicotine addiction has been one of the hardest addictions to break. In fact nicotine is not only as addictive as alcohol, tea and coffee, but even more addictive then psychoactive drugs like heroin and cocaine.

As a result tobacco addiction is the second-leading cause of death in the world. Nicotine meets the criteria of a potent psychoactive drug, as you can see in the image below. Depending on nicotine at various levels, leads to addiction.

Nicotine induces euphoria, serves as a reinforcer of its use, and leads to nicotine withdrawal syndrome when it is absent. Nicotine acts a stimulant and also a depressant.

The association between depression and smoking is well-known, many times the decreased ability to quit smoking can lead the person into depression. Relapse rates of major depression are higher after smoking cessation.

What are the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal?

• Irritability


• Impatience


• Hostility


• Anxiety


• Depressed mood


• Difficulty concentrating


• Restlessness


• Decreased heart rate


• Increased appetite or weight gain

Quitting an addiction might sound difficult, but if you want to lead a happy life without the intake, then the time is now, tomorrow may be too late!