New Delhi, Apr 8 (IANS): Not just lungs but also every cells of human body and the hard organs like bones and teeth get adversely affected by smoking, said Professor Uma Kumar, Head of Rheumatology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

Kumar said that the first hand smoke and second hand smoke both are equally harmful for health.

Expressing concerns on rising smoking habits among women, she said that it may result into infertility, cases of which is also rising these days. Also, smoking may lead to premature birth.

People generally think that smoking affects lungs only, but the case is different, it affects every parts and is one of the important risk factors for growing numbers cases related to autoimmune diseases, Kumar said while speaking on the prevention of deaths caused by tobacco on the occasion of World Health Day.

The event was organised by Tobacco Free India.

Dr Vishal Rao of HCG, Bangalore said that the reason for the rapidly increasing cases of oral cancer in India is tobacco products.

To save the lives of 13 lakh Indians annually, it is need of the hour that the strictness on tobacco products should be increased, said eminent economist and BJP's national spokesperson Gopal Krishna Agarwal.