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 Tobacco Addiction: Time To Quit !

 
Unfortunately, India tops the list with highest number of oral cancer cases in the whole world. On the occasion of the 'World Anti-Tobacco Day' (May 31st), experts said that excessive use of tobacco products like snuff, zarda, khaini, gutka, mishri (burnt tobacco) and gudakhu (tobacco paste) are the prime culprits. All these products have a high content of nicotine and other pro-carcinogens. The latest Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study states that tobacco use causes over 1.6 lakh new oral cancer cases, 4.5 million cardio-vascular diseases cases and 3.9 million cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) every year.

Smoking is the commonest method of tobacco usage. Now there is hope for all those people who have tried to quit smoking but have been unsuccessful. Glaxo India has launched an oral treatment tablet for smoking cessation by the name of Zydan (bupropion hydrochloride).

The 150 mg tablet is to be taken twice a day for a period of 7 - 12 weeks and the patient is expected to get rid of the nicotine addiction as he approaches the 'quit date' which could be any time in the first two weeks. Each tablet costs Rs. 40/- and the whole course of treatment until a person is able to quit smoking successfully (7 - 12 weeks) is expected to cost anywhere around Rs. 5000/- per person.

Zyban does not contain nicotine and has already benefited over five million people all across the world. It is now marketed in over 80 countries worldwide.