Bidi is a hand-rolled cigarette, which is mostly made in India and other Southeast Asian countries. Bidi making is usually done in unhygienic conditions by workers who roll the tobacco with their hands into green or brown leaf. After rolling the tobacco, the bidi is tied on both ends with a thread.
Bidi is available in a number of flavors such as mango, chocolate, cherry, vanilla and strawberry etc. The fact that they are cheap and taste better is prompting many students in the United States to take up bidi cigarette smoking. However, bidis are very much harmful to health.
Why are Bidi Cigarettes Dangerous?
Bidi cigarettes do not have warning labels. They have good flavors. Due to these reasons, students assume that bidis are safe. However, bidis are dangerous because of the following reasons:
- Bidi cigarettes produce 3 times more nicotine and carbon monoxide than a normal cigarette
- Bidi cigarettes produce 5 times more tar than a normal cigarette
- Bidi cigarettes are covered in leaf, which is harder to burn. Hence, a person smoking bidi has to inhale harder. This would mean more inhalation of nicotine and more damage to the health
Health Affects of Bidi Cigarettes:
Following are the harmful affects of Bidi cigarettes on health:
- Bidi cigarette smoking is linked to oral cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and cancer of the esophagus
- Bidi cigarette smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack
- Bidi cigarette smoking is linked to chronic bronchitis, asthma and respiratory infections
Bidis are available at gas stations, convenience stores, and on the internet. Many of these products are also imported. In the United States, it is estimated that about 3% of high school students and 2% of middle school students smoke bidi cigarettes.
Students prefer bidi cigarettes as they feel they are harmless, cheap and readily available. Parents should educate their children about the harmful effects of bidi and protect them from developing this dangerous habit.
