CHANDIGARH, May 31 — A single puff of hookah can deliver as much smoke as 30 to 40 cigarette puffs, medical experts from PGIMER have cautioned, urging stronger enforcement of tobacco laws ahead of World No Tobacco Day.
Despite an official ban on serving hookah in public establishments across the tricity, enforcement remains lax. Raids have revealed continued access to hookah and other tobacco products in bars and clubs, raising public health concerns.
Dr. Sonu Goel, director of the Resource Centre for Tobacco Control (RCTC) and professor at the Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, PGIMER, addressed the issue while speaking on this year’s World No Tobacco Day theme: “Unmasking the appeal: Exposing industry tactics on tobacco and nicotine products.”
“Tobacco’s impact on the human body can be observed within just 20 minutes of consumption, including increased pulse rate,” Dr. Goel said. “It’s the leading cause behind 70% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cases, 80% of oral cancers, and nearly half of pulmonary cardiac illnesses. Tobacco users are four times more vulnerable to severe tuberculosis than non-users.”
Goel emphasized that tobacco companies continue to find loopholes in regulation, especially with emerging products. While the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) mandates warning labels on tobacco products, many firms avoid this requirement on heated tobacco products (HTPs), claiming the law applies only to traditional cigarettes. HTPs, which operate by heating instead of burning tobacco, still pose significant health risks, he noted.
India continues to bear a heavy burden from tobacco use. Citing the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, Goel said the national prevalence of tobacco consumption stands at 28.6%, with Chandigarh reporting 11%. “Each year, India loses approximately 13 lakh lives to preventable tobacco-related diseases,” he said.
Slim cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and vapes—often marketed as safer alternatives—were also called out by Dr. Goel for their misleading packaging and appeal. “Slim cigarettes are just as harmful as regular ones, despite their stylish packaging and flavored variants. The filters may reduce tar but don’t remove harmful chemicals,” he explained.
E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, carry high levels of nicotine and pose serious cardiac and respiratory health risks. “Although banned under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, vapes remain readily available due to weak enforcement,” Goel added.
The upcoming 37th World No Tobacco Day brings renewed urgency to calls for stricter regulation and public awareness around both traditional and alternative nicotine products.
