Press Release
Regional Cancer Centre Directors Join Hands to Appeal
for Ban on Sale of Gutka / Pan Masala
The Directors of 17 Regional Cancer Centres in India, including Chittaranjan
National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, have written letters to the Honorable Prime
Minister Shri. Manmohan Singh to ban smokeless tobacco products. In letters
to him and the health ministry, all of them have raised serious concern over
growing Gutka / Pan Masala menace in India and have urged the Government of
India to show some urgency in addressing disaster.
India has the highest number of oral cancer in the world with 75,000 to
80,000 new cases of oral cancers being reported every year. And chewing
tobacco and gutka contribute to 90 percent of oral cancer cases in the
country. Easy availability of this mixture of toxic substance which contains areca
nut (supari), slaked lime and certain food additives, in small, affordable pouches
in every nook and corner of the country has become a serious health hazard.
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS 2010) released in
Oct.2010, nearly one third of Indian population is addicted to smokeless tobacco.
A large number of children and youth in India are addicted to smokeless tobacco.
Depending upon the geographical areas different names with different
combinations of smokeless tobacco are marketed, such as Mawa, Khaini,
Gudakhu, Panni etc. All these preparation essentially have tobacco with or
without supari and are well proven to be harmful for health.
Smokeless tobacco contains nicotine, which is highly addictive. There are 3095
chemical components in tobacco, among them 28 are proven carcinogen. The
major and most abundant group of carcinogens is the tobacco-specific Nnitrosamines (TSNA) and N-nitrosoamino acid. The nitrosamine level is directly
related to the risk of cancer, Scientific evidence has established that tobacco
chewing causes cancer of mouth, oesophagus (food pipe), larynx and pharynx
(throat), pancreas, stomach, kidney and lung. It can also cause high blood
pressure and other life threatening cardiovascular conditions like myocardial
ischemia, stroke etc. The use of smokeless tobacco during pregnancy, can
cause still birth, low birth weight, premature delivery, anemia of mother and
several complications during delivery.
The tobacco industry has been targeting youth and children by selling tobacco
products outside schools and colleges, distributing free samples and getting film
stars to endorse these killer products through attractive advertisements on T.V.,
Radio, Newspapers, Billboards and buses.
Contd…p/2
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We have learnt many lessons through our failures as well as our successes on
how to fight tobacco. The most recent one being the ban on plastic gutka
pouches by the Supreme Court. We have learnt that tobacco can be and should
be regulated not only from public health perspective but also from environment
and other perspectives, informed by Eminent Cancer Specialist Dr. Jaydip
Biswas, Director, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata.
Action Council Against Tobacco (ACT India), Healis- Sekhsaria Institute for
Public Health Salaam Bombay Foundation and Voluntary Health
Association of India (VHAI) also facilitated an event in Delhi conceptualized by
cancer victims who gathered together to promote greater awareness about the
harmful effects of tobacco use. These victims and their families shared their
stories and experiences as well as voiced their appeal for stronger enforcement
of tobacco control laws and presented a charter of demands to Ms. Sushma
Swaraj, leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha. Union Coal Minister Sriprakash
Jaiswal and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri. Dinesh Trivedi
and over 40 MPs. Ms. Swaraj, in the recently concluded parliamentary session,
raised the need for implementing effective tobacco control measures in the
country to save 1 millions that are lost annually in India due to tobacco related
disease. A gloomy picture in this regard is highlighted below;
Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS- India) Highlights:
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34.6% adults (47.9% males and 20.3% females) currently some form of
tobacco in India.
25.9% adults (32.9% males and 18.4% females) in India use smokeless
tobacco.
Among daily tobacco users, 60.2% consume tobacco within half an hour of
waking up.
14.1% of youth in India between the ages 13-15 years currently use any
tobacco products.
11.9% of youth in India between the ages 13-15 currently use tobacco
products other than cigarettes.
5500 children and adolescents start using tobacco products daily.
About two in three adults (64.5%) noticed advertisements or promotions of
tobacco products.
Three in five current tobacco users (61.1%) noticed the health warning on
tobacco product packages and one in three current tobacco users (31.5%)
thought of quitting because of the warning label.
Contd…p/3
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Eastern and north eastern India tobacco survey highlights
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Cancer of oral cavity is frequent among patients attending the O.P.D. of
Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata. A common finding among
the cancer patients is addiction to gutka and other tobacco products.
Hence, gutka since to have a major contribution to oral cancer in eastern
and north eastern India. On an average annually more than 1,000 new
patients suffering from oro-pharyngeal cancer, many of which are related
to gutka use, are registered at CNCI, Kolkata. It is observed that
magnitude of tobacco related cancer in average is on an upward trend in
eastern and north eastern India. This is largely due to high prevalence of
tobacco consumption.
The available data is as follows :State / Districts
Kolkata
Dibrugarh District
Kamrup Urban District
Mizoram State
Aizwal District
Mizoram
State
(Excl
Aizwal)
2005—2006 (in %)
45.8(Male) 13.8 (Female)
56.3 (Male) 26.4(Female)
59.7(Male) 26.1(Female)
37.3 (Male) 21.6 (Female)
41.6(Male) 20.7(Female)
33.3 (male) 22.6(Female)
2006—2007 (in %)
44.4(Male) 12.3 (Female)
57.0 (Male ) 26.3 (Female)
56.2(Male) 25.5(Female)
38.2(Male) 20.9 (Female)
43.1(Male) 22.1(Female)
33.4(Male) 19.6(Female)
Inspite of the magnitude of tobacco related cancer is on an upward trend,
unfortunately there is practically no much control on production and selling of
gutka. It is sold almost everywhere.
In order to combat such a dreadful situation, a campaign now must be launched
affectively to regulate the production, sale and abuse of gutka / pan masala in the
greater public interest, says the eminent Oncologist, Dr. Jaydip Biswas, Director,
Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata.