Patel D R
Department of Pediatrics, Michigan State University, Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies 49008, USA.
Indian J Pediatr. 1999 Nov-Dec;66(6):817-24. doi: 10.1007/BF02723844.
Tobacco use by children and adolescents is a major health threat. A number of carcinogens and other harmful compounds have been identified in tobacco smoke. The major component, nicotine, is highly addictive. In India, approximately 5500 children and adolescents start using tobacco products daily, some as young as 10 years old. The majority of users have first tried tobacco prior to age 18. Children and adolescents are exposed to the harmful effects of nicotine from smoking or second hand smoke from others; and from use of smokeless tobacco. There is increased prevalence of respiratory disease, ear and sinus infections, asthma, oral disease, and many long-term complications such as cardiovascular disease and cancers due to tobacco use. Prevention and treatment strategies include behavioural approaches and pharmacotherapy. There is an increased urgency especially, for countries like India to address the problem of tobacco use by children and adolescents as the tobacco industry faces legal and public opinion obstacles in Western countries like United States. The medical practitioner can play an important role by implementing the preventive and treatment strategies in his or her practice.
儿童和青少年吸烟是对健康的一大威胁。烟草烟雾中已发现多种致癌物和其他有害化合物。其主要成分尼古丁极易使人上瘾。在印度，每天约有5500名儿童和青少年开始使用烟草制品，有些甚至年仅10岁。大多数使用者在18岁之前就首次尝试吸烟。儿童和青少年会因吸烟或他人的二手烟以及使用无烟烟草而接触到尼古丁的有害影响。吸烟会导致呼吸道疾病、耳部和鼻窦感染、哮喘、口腔疾病以及许多长期并发症，如心血管疾病和癌症的患病率增加。预防和治疗策略包括行为方法和药物治疗。尤其对于印度这样的国家而言，解决儿童和青少年吸烟问题变得更加紧迫，因为烟草行业在美国等西方国家面临法律和舆论障碍。医生可以通过在其医疗实践中实施预防和治疗策略发挥重要作用。
