Women Empowerment – Spouse’s Rights Towards Tobacco Use by Partner

There is evidently a very confusing  situation when a wife / spouse discovers that her counterpart is a tobacco user which she mentally does not accept as a habit in the normal go of life after marriage. In India, most of the marriages, whether arranged or loved, experience a lot of ambiguity about the habits and behaviors of their partners. In such cases the wife is entitled to exercise her rights and legal options to protect her body (health), person and self respect. Wife can take the redressal/ aids available and/ or counselling and treatment options so that her life becomes normal and humane.

Let’s take a look at the protections provided under the Fundamental rights that are enshrined in Part III (Articles 12 to 35) of the Constitution of India.

  1. Right to equality (Articles. 14-18): includes equality before the law, the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, gender or place of birth, equality of opportunity in matters of employment, the abolition of untouchability and abolition of titles.

Article 14, backs women and their rights in the country. It ensures women equality and equal protection of the laws. Article 15(3) empowers the state to take affirmative action in favour of a daughter-in-law:

  1. The Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, entitles wives a basic right to reside in the matrimonial/ marital household.
  2. A married woman has the right to have a committed relationship: that is based on affirmative honesty in relationship and understanding.
  3. A wife has the legal authority to live with proper dignity and self-respect with her in-laws: hence a wife can not be treated with indifference and inhumane way or against her will to object perceivable harm to her body, property or repute/ emotion.

2. Right to Freedom (Articles. 19-22): includes freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association or union or cooperatives, movement, residence, and right to practice any profession or occupation.

3. Right to Constitutional Remedies (Articles. 32-35): is present for enforcement of fundamental rights.

When it is presumably found that the spouse or his family members defend the wrong action of tobacco abuse, the wife has the options to exercise her access to legal provisions that can be compounded as a recourse to the problem of correcting a tobacco user husband: 

as per  the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), instituted in 2005, is a legislation aimed at protecting women from violence in domestic relationships.

  1. The definition of domestic violence is well written and wide-ranging and holistic. It covers, mental as well as physical abuse, and also threats to do the same. Any form of harassment, coercion, harm to health, safety, limb or well-being is covered. Additionally, there are specific definitions for the following:

Physical abuse: Defined as act or conduct that is of such a nature as to cause bodily pain, harm, or danger to life, limb or health or impair the health or development of the aggrieved person’.

The definition of “aggrieved person” includes any woman who is or has been in a domestic relationship with the respondent and who alleges to have been subjected to domestic violence by them. (See Section 2(a) of the PWDVA)

The definition of “respondent” includes any adult male who has been or is in a domestic relationship with the aggrieved woman, and against whom the woman has sought a relief or any male or female relative of the husband or male partner of a married woman or a woman in a relationship in the nature of marriage.

The definition of “domestic relationship” is any relationship 2 persons have lived together in a shared household and these people are:

  • related by consanguinity (blood relations)
  • related by marriage.
  • Though a relationship in the nature of marriage (which would include live-in relationships)
  • Through adoption
  • Are family members living in a joint family.

The definition of “child” is any person below the age of eighteen years, and also includes foster, adopted, or step child.

Further India is a leading member state with WHO FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) and in our country, Children and wife is protected under the  Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act/ COTPA 2003, the Act that was enacted by the Parliament to give effect to the Resolution passed by the 39th World Health Assembly, urging the member states to implement measures to provide non-smokers protection from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke.

The most effective way to address such cases is social counselling through family participation and adoption of all available protocol for psychological and physiological treatment of the patient.

ICanCaRe is the only organization in the world to have formulated 3600 approach for social and medical remediation of tobacco addiction, disease and cessation through medical, social and legal framework implementation under expert supervision and advice through online and personal consultancy and support.

5 Minutes is Enough to Control your Cravings -Train Your Mind -Divert and Delay

5 Minutes is Sufficient to Manage Your Cravings

The urges are usually sudden and intense.  In many of my articles earlier, I have mentioned about the will power. The will power can be overwhelmed with these sudden urges. Remembering the reasons to quit and if  they are really strong reasons for you, you can recognize them and the mind races towards control. The ICanCaRe Quit coach and ICanCaRe Certified Tobacco Cessation specialist by cognitive intervention enhance your will power to stay in the journey to be free of tobacco.

The intense urges lasts for 5 minutes, and these 5 minutes are very crucial, if you can train your mind to hold on and divert and focus on some other activities, you have done it.

This good 5 minutes you can do a lot:

  • stretching or pushups is a solid workout
  • sprints, cycling, jogging, jumping, skipping can unwind you
  • one good page of writing can be done
  • read the article you have been waiting for
  • meditation can reset your mind
  • cooking can set your taste buds right
  • gardening
  • music play, sketching, surfing internet, playing with kids, etc
  • any activity, interest or hobby of your like that gives you happiness and can divert your focus away from tobacco/smoke

Yes, you can think to do a lot, just a little focused action, can control your cravings! The mind is the biggest block, if we can train it we can achieve what we want. Controlling the triggers is also important, shall discuss this in subsequent blog.

Diverting the mind and Delay is part of the 7D practical approach for Quitting Tobacco.

ICanCaRe Tobacco Wellness Centres with their team of Specialist and coaches with insightful support augment your journey of quitting tobacco making it  easy and pleasurable. Visit us on ICanCaRe or call 011-430-77695 to seek assistance to quit with the most scientific, medically validated and most successful online tobacco wellness program (92% success rate).

Control the Cravings – 2nd D of 7D Intervention of Quitting Tobacco and Smoking – Deep Breathing Exercise

Deep Breathing Exercise for Stress Relief and Cravings Management

This is the one most important armamentarium to control the cravings along with the first D (Drink Plenty of Water). Whatever form of tobacco you have used  – smoke or chew tobacco,  Deep Breathing controls cravings and relaxes you.

Stress, tension associated with work or while quitting smoking, light-headedness, loss of concentration, fatigue, weakness- these are some of the withdrawals taken care by deep breathing exercise. DBE makes you relaxed, calms, peaceful, quiet and lively.

Deep Breathing Exercise- How Does it work – Oxygenation, Relaxation and toxin release

Deep breathing opens up the lungs the collapsed alveoli get activated. This increases oxygenation as more alveoli are recruited for gas exchange.

Fast breathing, takes away oxygen from the brain causing anxiety and light-headedness. With controlled breathing, ‘feel good’ chemicals endorphin is secreted from the brain.

Breathing helps clear away the gaseous toxins and also stimulates cough to release accumulated deposits in the lungs (Related reading – Smokers cough what to do)

Some techniques of Deep Breathing Exercise

Breathing is natural. Average breathing rate 10-16 per minute. It is simple and routine.

Smokers usually have the tendency to breath more deeply when they have smoke to get the maximum of the nicotine, this Deep inhalation partly explains the sense of relaxation associated with smoking!

However, when they first quit there is a tendency to shallow breath, just the opposite of what one should be doing to stay focused and calm. Once you deep breath you would be amazed at the quick and profound calming effect it produces on your mind. Initially you would have to do it consciously and once you have mastered it would come naturally.

Ayurveda – meditation and pranayam have described many methods and having attended many such camps I have learnt the basics of deep breathing. One must make it simple, part of their daily routine without assigning it to any particular Yogi! The basic needs to be understood and once mastered can adopt various versions.

BASICS of DEEP BREATHING Exercise –

Deep breath in (5 Seconds) – hold (5 Seconds) – Deep breath out (fully – 5 Seconds) – hold (5 Seconds) and continue the cycle

  • During the process keep your eyes closed, and fully concentrate on your breath. Have a smile on your face.
  • Deep breath in till your abdomen rises (abdominal/diaphragmatic breathing), this may take some practice.
  • The exhale time should be double the inhale time. Exhale should be complete.
  • While you inhalation feel the energy flowing into your body and spreading from the mind to every part till the little toe.
  • When you exhale relax your body. With each breath become stronger and relaxed
  • The cycle is to be repeated at least 10 times

As you go on and master the technique you would feel the change in your body, and it is important that you notice these changes – The drop of the shoulders, loosening of your face, and any other feelings you may have.

VERSIONS –

  1. OHM Chanting – Take a deep breath in and while exhaling chant OHM.
  2. Instead of OHM some of my patients just say ‘SHANTI’, ‘RELAX’, ‘I CAN WIN’ or any other words that makes them calm.
  3. Role your tongue to touch the hard palate, breath in through your nose and breath out slowly through your mouth.
  4. Breath in through your nose, pinch your lip and slowly in a controlled manner blow out through your mouth.

WHEN to do

  1. First thing in the morning – before getting out of the bed. This relaxes you and takes care of the morning craving.
  2. Before going to bed – while going to bed as a ritual do it, the relaxation gives you a sound sleep, takes care of the much-needed oxygenation during the night and you get up fresh in the morning.
  3. During cravings – DBE has a magical effect. Consciously do 10 cycles of Deep Breathing following 2 glasses of Water (7 Ds of Cravings).

Most of tobacco users smoke or chew tobacco for relaxation, the fact is that smoking or chewing only fixes the nicotine level in the body, and in actuality it is a depressant and stress producer not a stress buster. The relaxation felt by a smoker can be attributed to some extent to the deep breathing associated with smoking. Tobacco is actually creating a negative vibe in the body.

Friends, deep breathing is a wonderful tool to control cravings. One can do it anytime, standing, sitting or lying down, and no one would even notice you doing this.

Let us practice this and master it, initially it may take some efforts once you get a hang of it, you would do it as routine, with every reminders (triggers) and off-course there is rewards. (related reading – 3Rs of habit formation)

The ICanCaRe tobacco Cessation Specialists and ICanCaRe quit Coach works with you to make the quit journey easy, interesting and achievable.

Do visit the ICanCaRe Tobacco Wellness Centres or register online by visiting our page or call ICanCaRe quitline 011-430-77695.