PANAJI
The National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) and Delhi-based Consumer VOICE stressed on the urgent need for vendor licensing in order to restrict tobacco usage among youth and children.
On the eve of the World Cancer Day, Dr Shekhar Salkar, secretary of NOTE, said that tobacco is known to be the leading cause of cancerous diseases and urged the government to implement the rules of tobacco vendor licensing to protect people from tobacco products.
Underlining the concern, the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS-2) data was shared which shows that the prevalence of tobacco consumption is on the rise in Goa in comparison to GATS-I. GATS-2 shows that 9.7 per cent per cent of adults in Goa consume tobacco in some form or the other.
World Cancer Day is observed every year on February 4 to raise awareness among the general public about the risk factors and measures that can be taken to prevent cancer or its early detection.
It may be recalled that on February 11, 2019 the Department of Urban Development of Goa had issued a circular directing all urban local bodies in Goa to develop a mechanism to provide permission, authorization and vendor licensing through ULBs (Urban local bodies) to retail shops selling tobacco products with a restriction on sale on non-tobacco products as candies, chips, soft drinks, etc.
