Since 1987, The World Health Organization has been observing World No Tobacco Day annually, every May 31st, to reiterate the hazards of tobacco, the workings of tobacco industries, the measures taken by WHO and what we people can do to claim our right to health and to protect our future generations. The theme this year was “Unmasking the appeal” to expose the tobacco industry tactics used to glamorise their products and keep them in circulation.
Every year the World No Tobacco Day comes and passes us by with barely any improvement in the statistics of tobacco users and subsequently its casualties.
The Checkup magazine therefore checked in with its doctors to share their trysts with tobacco users to better reflect the problem at our hands from ground zero.
Smoking Kills (in more ways than one)
By Dr. Shishir
We were in 12th standard. I was about to enter KEM Hospital to start my medical education. He was going to graduate and join the family business. He was a smoker. About ten cigarettes per day. I would lecture him on smoking and its harmful effects. He would smile at me and say, “Lung cancer develops after at least twenty years of smoking. I am confident your science will find a cure by the time I get it. So, don’t worry about me.”
After that, we would meet intermittently and each time he would ask me, a little mockingly, “Has science found the cure?” I would say no and delivery my usual spiel of how smoking is associated with at least twelve other cancers and fifty diseases, including heart attacks.
Once, he got irritated. “What about your problem?”
I knew what he was alluding to. “What problem?” I asked.
“Your weight. You know you are overweight and obesity is one of the biggest killers.”
“I am overweight and not obese. The difference is that I know and accept my problem, and I am putting in efforts to rectify it.” I knew my comeback was feeble.
He let go with a smile.
Time flew. We met again at age fifty. In a hospital. He was admitted with a myocardial infarction. After a stormy course he survived and came home with two stents. However, a miracle happened — he quit smoking permanently.
Human beings are wonderous and paradoxical. A confirmed death in the distant future doesn’t cause fear or panic. At the most there is some anxiety at the back of the mind which we can rationalize away. But, imminent danger of death puts the fear of God in a person and motivates him to overcome insurmountable challenges like giving up the most addictive substance in the world in a jiffy.
Both of us are in our sixties now. Apart from COPD and two stents, he is fairly healthy. However, smoking cessation has led to weight gain. Now, both are in the same boat. Battling weight.
~ Dr Shishir Shah
Dr Shishir Shah is a renowned Physician and Pulmonologist in Mumbai. He likes to read, watch, observe, travel and occasionally write.
This is all I can eat now
By Dr. Sai Rane
He walked into the clinic with the complaint of inability to chew. Not because of dental pain (like the dozen previous cases), or loss of appetite, but because of the inability to open his mouth- at all. The years of faithful tobacco and areca nut chewing had worked with predictable efficacy to sew his mouth shut with submucous fibrosis. Oral examination was physically impossible but a few particles of the tell-tale supaari dribbled from the corner of his unpliant lips. How did he manage to sneak that in, I inquired. That is all I can eat now, he shrugged.
A surgery was all that could help him now.
~ Dr Sai Rane
Dr. Sai Surve-Rane is a Consulting Periodontist practicing in Sindhudurg, a regular medical writer, and an occasional poet. She has to her credit, multiple clinical studies published in peer reviewed journals, few poems and short stories published in various anthologies. Her first poetry compilation Just Another Wave, published in 2021, was well received.
The Stains We Can’t Ignore
By Dr. Yashvi Singh
As a dentist, I see the impact of tobacco up close—sometimes even before my patients do. It’s not just the yellowed teeth or the persistent bad breath. It’s the white patches on the gums, the suspicious ulcers that don’t heal, and the fear in a patient’s eyes when I mention the word “biopsy.”
One memory stands out: a young man in his early thirties who visited for a routine cleaning. He was charming, confident, and quick to laugh. But behind his smile, I found early signs of oral cancer. When I gently asked about his tobacco use, he shrugged, “Everyone in my group chews. It’s just what we do after work.” The normalization of tobacco in our society is so complete that its dangers are often dismissed—until it’s too late.
What frustrates me most is how tobacco is still glamorised, especially in the media and films. Patients, especially the younger ones, often see it as a symbol of style or stress relief. They rarely see the reality: the surgeries, the facial disfigurement, the loss of speech, the lifelong regret.
Every day, I try to use my chairside conversations to break the illusion. I show them the real consequences, not just the cosmetic ones. Some listen. Some don’t. But every story matters, and every conversation is a chance to change a life.
This World No Tobacco Day, I hope more of us can share these truths, so that one day, tobacco’s grip on our society will finally loosen.
~ Dr Yashvi Singh
I, Dr. Yashvi Singh, am a Senior Dentist with over a decade of clinical experience, passionate about preventive dentistry and patient education. As an oral health educator, I have led community awareness initiatives and strive to make dental health information accessible and actionable for all. In addition to my clinical and educational work, I am an accomplished medical writer, dedicated to translating complex dental and healthcare topics into clear, engaging content for both professionals and the public.
My interest in technology has led me to specialize in healthcare AI and data annotation, particularly in dental imaging and diagnostics. I work with advanced tools to label and review dental X-rays and CBCT scans, helping to improve the accuracy of AI-driven diagnostic models. I am committed to bridging the gap between clinical care, education, and technological innovation to advance oral health outcomes and patient empowerment.
