Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Tobacco fetches huge revenue but at what cost?' that was published in Newsband

Tobacco fetches huge revenue but at what cost?

In 2013, following the Supreme Court’s direction, gutka was banned in all the States. Besides gutka, 11 States including Delhi have over a period of time banned flavoured chewing tobacco, and three States — Maharashtra, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh — have banned flavoured areca nut too.

In India, areca nut is the “second most consumed” carcinogen after tobacco. The number of smokeless tobacco users in India is alarmingly high at 206 million. Unlike in the case of smokers — where less than 10 per cent of cigarette-users are women and a little over the same percentage consumed bidis — about 50 per cent of consumers of smokeless tobacco are women, according to the 2009-2010 Global Adult Tobacco Survey.

Some Indians argue that since Arecanut is a cultural factor in India it's bad to ban supari completely, when India can and should ban cigarettes.

The Substitute or an alternative source of income for those poor people, already involved in the selling or cultivation of Tobacco will be indeed a motivating process to reduce their engagement in this business. And this will reduce the banned and carcinogenic Tobacco products often sold by them in disguise, as this is the only way of income they are leaned at. This will be an effective initial step to achieve the larger goal to make India tobacco free.

The usage of chewing tobacco and arecanut which are casinogens are mainly used by wage earning community and women and get affected with oral cancer. The bans on these substances to be effective and all the loopholes must be plugged to save millions from oral cancer.

Another thing is that tobacco companies are resisting a new regulation that the mandatory pictorial warnings on cigarette packages be made larger. Having lost the argument on the health effects of cigarette consumption, as well as passive smoking, cigarette-makers are pleading that tobacco-growers will be adversely affected.

The public health campaign must continue apace with the enforcement of extensive curbs on smoking in public spaces. This is an effective way to help break the smoking habit, besides of course protecting bystanders from second-hand smoke. Countries such as India have enforced rules that warnings be affixed in films when someone lights up on screen. Countries should be committed and rigid in bringing laws to curb the smoking menace. Every step should be taken to discourage people from using cigarettes. Recent decision by government to show larger warning pictures on the cartons is definitely a welcome step in the right direction.

Smoking in public places should be banned as passive smoking is more injurious then actual smoking. Ban cigarette smoking outside homes too. Violation should follow hefty fines. People who can't afford to pay fines should be sent to rehabilitation. We all know that tobacco industry generates very high revenue for the nation but it is coming at the expense of its citizens. Just displaying images will not stop anyone from smoking. There is global level endeavour to create awareness on the health hazards caused by tobacco products. There should be an awareness creating move to save lives in lakhs every year caused by lungs cancer.