Communicable and non-communicable diseases are the leading causes of death and injury to many people. Communicable and non-communicable diseases are a major health burden for people living in most of the low developing countries. According to the 2014 statistics, 59 percent of all deaths in Myanmar were due to non-communicable diseases.
Cigarette and tobacco-related diseases
Measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases are being taken. If it occurs, effective treatment is provided. Similarly, it is necessary to prevent and control non-communicable diseases. One of the causes of non-communicable diseases is smoking, consuming betel leaves containing various tobacco products and chewing tobacco. In 2023, Myanmar was ranked 19th in the list of countries with the highest smoking rates and ranked 3rd among ASEAN countries. 18.7 percent of Myanmar’s population smokes cigarettes, and smoking kills more than 64,000 people every year.
Nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar or tobacco tar contained in tobacco are toxic substances that can be seriously harmful to health. Smoking is a common cause of lung cancer, and the main diseases are heart disease, lung disease and cancer. In smokers, the blood vessels leading to the hands and feet become narrower with age, and eventually develop Buerger’s disease, which can lead to the amputation of the toes and fingers. For men, smoking can cause narrowing of the blood vessels and restrict blood flow to the penis, which can lead to infertility and sexual dysfunction. For pregnant women, smoking or breathing in secondhand smoke can lead to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, low birth weight, birth defects, premature births, etc.
People who do not smoke themselves but inhale the smoke exhaled by smokers around them also inhale the smoke that spreads through the main smoke emitted from cigarettes, cigars, cheroots and pipes used by smokers. This causes cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, middle ear problems and problems for children born to mothers who inhale secondhand smoke. It is also known that children who inhale secondhand smoke develop tooth decay and cavity.
According to the estimate of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2014, more than six million people die each year of diseases caused by smoking and tobacco consumption, of which more than six hundred thousand are exposed to secondhand smoke. It is estimated that by 2030, more than eight million people will be killed by smoking and tobacco consumption, more than 80 percent of whom will be in developing countries. It is learnt that an estimated 1.2 million people die of tobacco consumption each year in South Asia countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. In these regions, like in other parts of the world, the number of male smokers is higher than that of female smokers. In India, one in five men and one in 20 women die of smoking. In Myanmar, a 2014 study found that 26 percent of the population used tobacco with 44 percent of men and eight percent of women. Similarly, 43 percent of people consumed betel leaves containing tobacco with 62 percent of men and 24 percent of women.
Youth and tobacco use
According to a 2022 survey of the WHO, more than 37 million young people aged 13 to 15 worldwide are using tobacco in various forms. In Europe, 11.5% of boys and 10.1% of girls aged 13 to 15 are using tobacco. Similarly, 63% of those who buy cigarettes and use tobacco are under 18 years old, and one in three students smokes tobacco at home, and three in 10 students smoke in places where it is prohibited. According to a 2016 study jointly conducted by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and WHO, the prevalence of tobacco use among students aged 13 to 15 was 14 percent: 8.3 percent tobacco; and 5.7 percent tobacco products. Battery-powered e-cigarettes are also becoming increasingly popular among young people.
It is estimated that 12.5 percent of adolescents in Europe use e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes, which are a substitute for tobacco, contain lead and nickel, are known to be harmful to the health of the users, and some countries have banned them.
A smoking-free world
A 2018 study found that in Myanmar, approximately 64,000 people die of smoking and tobacco consumption each year with an annual economic loss of 2.6 trillion Myanmar kyats. At the same time, more than half of adults (54.4 percent) use cigarette or tobacco use in any form which resulted in a total health expenditure of 307.4 billion Myanmar kyats in 2016 for tobacco-related diseases for the State.
In other words, cigarettes and use of other tobacco products not only affect family incomes but also people’s health and cause death. As chronic diseases such as lung disease and cancer lead to job losses and a decrease in family income, it is necessary to pay attention to the health risks of cigarettes and use of tobacco and tobacco products. It is estimated that by 2030, more than eight million people will die of smoking and tobacco use, more than 80 percent of whom will be in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization, more than 100 million people died of the harmful effects of smoking and use of tobacco products in the 20th century, and one billion people will die in the 21st century.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been implementing anti-smoking campaigns with significant success. There are at least 151 countries including Myanmar that have banned smoking in public places by law, according to the WHO. These bans under the law have protected about seven out of 10 people (6.7 billion people of the world population) from the dangers of second-hand smoke.
Studies and analyses on the effects after enforcing strict tobacco control laws in some European countries such as UK, Canada, Scotland and Sweden, were conducted and it was found that 21 countries could reduce the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, sore throat, and asthma.
Everyone’s Responsibility
On the whole, tobacco, alcohol and drug use are the main causes of poor standard of public health as well as premature death due to non-communicable diseases. Therefore, in order to reduce the consumption of cigarettes and tobacco products, which degrades the health of the people, reduce unnecessary health expenditure and ensure that everyone lives a healthy and long life, it is necessary to take measures on control, prevention and education and regulate the consumption of cigarettes and tobacco products.
Translated by Zaw Myint
