Tobacco- Threat to environment

Tobacco has been widely cultivated and used by humans for thousands of years. Psychological and social gratification together with its addictive effect had made it a widely used product. However, with the emergence of studies globally that the use of tobacco is related to cancer as well as other chronic diseases, as well as worldwide campaigns highlighting the impact of use of tobacco has brought down the practice of tobacco globally.

Tobacco is considered to be the single biggest cause of preventable death in the world. Long-time effect of the lifecycle of tobacco from its cultivation, to curing, to its consumption as well as the consumer waste and its effect on the environment has been in focus over the past one decade only. Tobacco threatens many of the Earth’s resources which is shared by the flora and fauna on our planet.

Tobacco being a monocrop is susceptible to a variety of pests and diseases, requiring large quantities of chemicals like pesticides and fungicides which are harmful to both the environment as well as the farmer’s health. The growing and curing of tobacco has also been associated with global deforestation. Deforestation is one of the largest contributors to increase in greenhouse gases leading to loss of biodiversity as well as greenhouse effect. Desertification from tobacco cultivations has been noticed in several countries including India, where it is described by WHO as the “the most erosive crop”.

Unlike first hand and second-hand smoke, third hand and fourth-hand smoke are directly affecting the surroundings we live placing all of us inadvertently at risk. While third-hand smoke is the residue of tobacco smoke and its constituent chemicals that remain on the surface and in the dust, fourth hand smoke is that directly integrating with our environment as well as our natural resources.

Owing to the massive consumption of tobacco products, nicotine and its by-products often end up in solid waste landfills or dumps and is a cause of concern. It is also contaminating our groundwater and WHO has reported that even advanced treatment cannot eliminate these compounds. These harmful chemicals leached from the discarded tobacco product waste is seen to be acutely toxic to the aquatic organisms as well. Tobacco smoke has also been linked with air pollution in several major cities like Los Angeles and London.

With the use of tobacco, we put not just ourselves, but our future generations as well as all other living beings on this earth at risk. Human beings are just one among millions of species that make Earth its Home. But we are dominating it like no other. It is high time we do something, else what the future holds for us will be nothing short of catastrophic.

#THERE IS NO PLANET B