Peer pressure and emotional inhibition are two of the major reasons why.
It comes as no surprise anymore when we see teenagers and college-going students smoking cigarettes.
However, the increasing number of youngsters succumbing to this hazardous habit in the city is a matter of concern.
Gujarat Voluntary Health Association (GVHA), a state chapter of Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI)- an NGO working on various health and development issues -said that youth in the city below the age of 18 years are getting trapped by the attractions of smoking and tobacco chewing." In a recent survey done by the NGO in regard to the youngsters at public places, schools, colleges, and other government and non-government offices, it was found that most of them get into the bad habit of smoking and chewing tobacco between the ages of 11 and 15 years.
Project manager, Gujarat chapter of VHA, Mihir Dave told DNA "The survey found that major factors that influence these youngsters to adopt such habits were, fashion and entertainment. 55% of the total survey sample size started the habit after watching TV or films, while 30% got influenced by friends."
Chirag Shah, director of thew oncology department at Apollo hospitals, Ahmedabad said "Earlier the cases of oral cancer were found in persons in their mid or late forties whereas for the past three-four years, the cases are more frequent in patients in their late twenties and early thirties. This is an alarming sign for the youth of the city."
"Though there is some awareness in the upper and upper-middle class, the middle and lower income groups are still ignorant of the ill-effects of this habit or they are ignoring the warnings," added Shah. He also stressed on the need to bring the escalating cases of oral cancer due to tobacco consumption under control.
Explaining the phenomenon, Dr Himanshu Desai, a consultant psychiatrist who did an in-depth survey of 3,000 students in the city's schools two years back, said school-going kids experience peer pressure. Most of them are not ready to cope with it and succumb to temptation and the pressure.
"The other reason is the fun factor. Most of the time, it starts as just an experiment and from there grows into addiction. However, movies and fashion influence youngsters the most. It is through watching their favourite actors do such activities on TV that these kids get inspired to take up smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol," added Desai.
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