the goan I network
PANAJI
Speaking at an event in the city, president of the National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) Dr Shekhar Salkar said the prevalence of smoking in the state was low and the number of head and neck cancer cases were also low.
“Since the implementation of COTPA and work at the organistaion, the prevalence of smoking in the state has greatly reduced. Today, the figure may be less than nine percent. This is one of the lowest in the country. Even in the number of cases related to head and neck cancer too, the number is between 22 percent and 25 percent, also low in the country,” said Salkar.
The problem today, he added was more to do with passive smoking and third-hand smoking. Passive smoking affect people who do not directly smoke but inhale smoke from those who smoke cigarettes while third hand smoking is a newly developing trend.
“Take for example a father who doesn’t smoke at home but decides to smoke outside and returns home with the same clothes that have deposits of tobacco on them. Once he reaches home, he carries the child wearing the same clothes and it’s these deposits that the child comes in contact with making them susceptible to problems of consuming tobacco,” said Salkar.
The central government’s implementation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) in 2008 has ensured it is difficult to sell and consume tobacco and cigarettes. The law puts stringent rules on advertisements of tobacco products, made it mandatory to put pictorial warning signs on cigarette packets and bans smoking in public places. The law has also put in place enforcement teams headed by the collectors that conduct patrols and checks.
Speaking at the event, additional collector Shabaji Shetye also emphasized on the need for increased awareness and strict implementation of the law to ensure proper and timely impact.
