Kohima: The Naga Voluntary Health Association (NVHA) appreciated and welcomed the Central Government’s decision to curb the growing menace of Gutka and Pan masala.
Welcoming the notification and decision, the Additional Director of Health and Family Welfare and State Nodal Officer Dr N Savino said by issuing notification, the Union Health Ministry had demonstrated tremendous commitment towards safe guarding the health of people of India and protecting the masses, especially the youth from the growing menace of tobacco addiction.
He said this step would go a long way in saving lakhs of lives and also reduce the government spending on treating tobacco related diseases.
Also appreciating the initiative taken by the Centre and the State Government, the Co-Convener, Medical and Relief Committee of Indian Red Cross Society, Nagaland Dr Seyiekietuo Angami said consuming tobacco products was detrimental to an individual’s health and has been proven to be a cause for many serious diseases like cancer and added that measures like this would prove to be life saving and expressed hope that the State Government would implement the law in all seriousness in larger interest of younger generation who he said was falling prey to tobacco menace and were suffering from premature death. According to a health report submitted by the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare on ill-effects of chewing tobacco, it estimated that over 3095 chemical components in chewing tobacco (including gutka) among which 28 are carcinogenic.
The major and most abundant group of carcinogens is the tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNA). The reports revealed that rampant use of chewing tobacco is associated with high prevalence of oral cancer in India with almost 90 per cent of cases linked to tobacco, the report added.
The Global Audit Tobacco Survey India (GATS India) revealed that out of the 274.9 million estimated number of tobacco users in India, 163.7 million Indians chew tobacco. (UNI)