Misconceptions plague smokers

A survey among 330 university students in Dhaka reveals that among the over 110 persons who are smokers, 67 percent have the misconception that it relieves tension despite having a good knowledge on the health hazards.
Moreover, 60 percent of the smokers also have the delusion that it helps concentrate on studies, says the study covering 30 public and private universities and recommending a campaign to disseminate the tobacco control law.
Dr SM Tanvir Islam, a faculty at Mandy Dental College in Dhaka, conducted the study, “Tobacco Smoking among the Adult Students: A KAP Study in Dhaka City”, from March to November, 2013.
The findings came to light yesterday at a two-day conference on tobacco control in Bangladesh at a local hotel in the capital.
The Bangladesh Centre for Communication Programs (BBCP) and Institute for Global Tobacco Control (IGTC) at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US arranged the conference.
Nine other researchers also presented their findings at the conference. All the 10 people received grants from the organisers to conduct research on selected topics related to tobacco.
One of the studies on secondary smoking finds that a higher number of infants of smokers suffer from respiratory problems than those of non-smokers.
Another on health hazards among tobacco curing workers in south-western districts reveals that most workers suffered from chest pains followed by asthma, headaches, irregular sleep, dizziness and redness of eyes during the curing season.