tobacco use

World No-Tobacco Day

Children in Indian homes are silently exposed to harmful tobacco toxins through passive and third-hand smoke, impacting their developing lungs. Doctors warn this hidden danger leads to severe respiratory issues like asthma and infections. Creating smoke-free environments at home and in vehicles is crucial for their health, as partial measures offer no real protection.

Occasional smoking, often dismissed as harmless, is leading to devastating diagnoses of advanced lung cancer and severe lung damage. Doctors are increasingly seeing cases where individuals who smoked fewer than five cigarettes daily, or were exposed to secondhand smoke, develop irreversible lung disease. This highlights the critical need for early action and complete tobacco cessation.

Breathing in second-hand smoke, even occasionally, poses serious health risks to non-smokers. This silent danger, often overlooked, can lead to long-term issues like heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. Children are particularly vulnerable to its damaging effects. Creating smoke-free environments at home and in public spaces is crucial for everyone's well-being.

Britain is considering strict new rules for children's social media use, including a potential ban for under-16s, following tragic cases where online harms were linked to young deaths. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged decisive action after meeting grieving families. Measures like age verification and limits on addictive features are being explored, with a formal response expected this summer.

Fear of exams, poverty, bullying and family conflict pushing many adolescents into depression and hopelessness

Hyderabad police have arrested seven individuals, including Anwar-ul-Uloom Group of Institutions owner Mehboob Alam Khan and his son Mujahed Alam Khan, in connection with the hit-and-run murder of advocate Khaja Moizuddin. The motive is believed to stem from long-standing disputes over Waqf properties dating back to 2013.

Smoking silently harms fertility in men and women, affecting sperm and egg quality, and increasing miscarriage risks. This often goes unnoticed until couples face conception challenges. Even passive smoke poses risks. For women on birth control, smoking elevates serious health dangers. Quitting smoking, supported by exercise and medical guidance, offers a path to improved reproductive health.

Every week, TOI+ subscribers ask questions about their health and India’s top doctors reply with clear, evidence-based guidance. From heart disease to diabetes, cancer to mental health, Hello, Doctor connects you directly with experts you can trust

Every week, TOI+ subscribers ask questions about their health and India’s top doctors reply with clear, evidence-based guidance. From heart disease to diabetes, cancer to mental health, Hello, Doctor connects you directly with experts you can trust

Builders are now integrating pest control into construction, even before foundations are laid, to protect against termites and rodents. For apartment dwellers, natural remedies like garlic, pepper spray, and keeping spaces dry are effective against lizards and insects, especially during summer. Sealing entry points and using naphthalene balls in limited areas also deter pests.

Sixty-six body bags, representing daily Australian tobacco deaths, were displayed at Parliament House. Health advocates staged the protest ahead of a Senate inquiry into illegal tobacco. The proposal to lower cigarette excise, aimed at combating illicit trade, was slammed as a dangerous public health gamble that would increase smoking and deaths.

It changed how it taxes alcohol, which made the 'premium' stuff cheaper — and it's supposed to be good for everyone. Is it?

Telangana's first Cancer Atlas reveals women comprise nearly 60% of nearly one lakh cancer patients treated over five years. Breast and cervical cancers are major contributors. Experts cite screening deficits leading to late diagnoses, urging more local screening centres and mobile services for early detection and better treatment outcomes.