India, Jan. 3 -- Smoking has been part of the human lifestyle across the globe since time immemorial, despite people being well aware of the harmful effects of the habit. In addition to its addictive nature, its image in popular culture and the largely unregulated market are responsible for people being drawn into the harmful loop.

According to the American Lung Association, smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death worldwide. The most commonplace of all, cigarette smoke, contains more than 7000 chemicals, at least 69 of which are known to cause cancer.

The chemical that is primarily responsible for addiction to cigarettes is nicotine. Habitual smokers not only become physically dependent on the substance, but also l...