SRINAGAR, Nov 5: Kashmiris, say doctors, in their continuous psychological struggle with the long prevailing conflict have made smoking their way of life in a substantial way. Data collected from various hospitals point to a six-fold increase in deaths due to the diseases caused to cigarette smoking like bronchitis, ulcers, emphysema, heart-attacks and cancers.

A majority of the patients who flock to capital are from Pulwama, Bandipore, Budgam and Kulgam. ``Patients with serious chest ailments are shifted to Chest and Disease Hospital and some serious cases are referred to Sher-e- Kashmir Institute of medical sciences, Soura,'' informed Dr Tanveer Ahmed. ``Some of the chronic smokers come to us with an advanced stage of cancer,'' says Dr Bashir Ahmed.

Smoking seems to be picking up the fastest among the students community. Suhail Ahmed, a second-year undergraduate student, says he picked up the habit out of frustration: ``All my friends who are studying outside the State have even completed their post-graduation, while I am still in the final year of graduation.'' He was referring to the recently introduced the ten-plus-two-plus-three system of graduation introduced in the state.

Most patients who come for help to psychiatrists are in the age group of 25 to 35 years. Says Dr Avatar Singh, a psychiatrist in Rainawari Hospital, ``It is seen that most of the students smoke to improve their concentration during examination days and become addicts.''

A more frightening manifestation of the disease in Kashmir is also raising its hood - juvenile smokers. A three-year-old smoking is now a common sight in the streets of Kashmir towns. Dr Mehraj-ud-Din, who along with his wife runs a de-addiction clinic at Dalgate, says, ``These cases are an eye-opener for the society".

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.