Passive smoking remains a major concern, and we don’t realise that

A TISS-WHO study says that 50% of surveyed smokers thought smoking had caused them no health problems.
Passive smoking remains a major concern, and we don’t realise that
Passive smoking remains a major concern, and we don’t realise that
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Responding to queries for the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2 (GATS-2) conducted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), along with the World Health Organisation and the Indian government’s Ministry of Health, 23.9% of the respondents from Karnataka said that they were exposed to second-hand smoke at public spaces.

What makes it worse is that every fourth adult who worked indoors in Karnataka is exposed to second hand smoking at workplace. At the workplace, the number of males exposed to smoking was about five percent higher than that of women.

Adults were exposed to second-hand smoking at various locations, including their own homes. While 21.7% male respondents said they were exposed to it at home, 28.7% female respondents agreed to have been exposed to second-hand smoke.

At public places, while 32.5% men were exposed to second-hand smoke, 15.2% women said that they are exposed to those smoking when at public places. However, the numbers saw a significant reduction in comparison to the previous GATS survey.

Caught unaware

M Sivakami, professor, TISS said that even as there is a law in place (The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act), it’s not being implemented well. “We see so many being exposed to smoke at their own houses. The numbers are significant. The concern is that most people are caught unaware that it can cause health issues for the others they are in contact with as well,” said Sivakami.

She added that the survey saw that 50% respondents believed that smoking over years had caused them no harm. “Many felt that it has done them no bad. Now, this is certainly a cause for concern,” she said

The study saw 74,037 respondents from India of which 33,772 were males and 40,265 were female. In Karnataka, 1,311 men and 1,402 women took the survey according to TISS.

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