PANAJI
Stating that children and youth should not have access to tobacco products, prominent oncology consultant at Manipal Hospital Dr Shekhar Salkar called for responsible selling of such products through vendor licensing in Goa. He disclosed that the use of tobacco is the leading cause of cancers in India, resulting in almost 27 per cent of cancers in the country.
On the occasion of the National Cancer Awareness Day, Dr Salkar, secretary of National Organization Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) urged all stakeholders to take pledge to protect children and youth from tobacco which is leading cause of cancerous diseases and urging government to implement the rules of tobacco vendor licensing to protect people from tobacco products.
Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS-2) data shows prevalence of tobacco consumption is on the increase in Goa. In comparison to GATS-I, GATS-2 shows 9.7 per cent of adults in Goa consume tobacco in some form or the other.
“In 2020, tobacco related cancers are estimated to contribute 3.7 lakhs (27.1 per cent) of the total cancer burden. It is the high time we go into combative mode against this disease. Tobacco not only causes direct cancer but also affects various other organs. Tobacco Vendor licensing needs to be implemented to keep the younger generation away from the influence of tobacco products,” Dr Salkar argued.
Mr Ashim Sanyal, Chief Operating Officer, Consumer VOICE also stressed on the need for tobacco vendor licensing to keep away the younger generation from the influence of tobacco products and for effective enforcement of tobacco control laws.
The National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020, released by The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Informatics & Research (NCDIR), Bengaluru, estimates that in the year 2020, cancer cases in the country will be at 13.9 lakh and likely to increase to 15.7 lakhs by 2025, based on current trends. These estimates are based on information related to cancer collected from 28 Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs). Additionally, 58 Hospital-Based Cancer Registries (HBCRs) provided cancer data.
The National Cancer Registry Programme Report (2012-2016) reveals the high proportions of tobacco-related cancers thereby pointing to the magnitude of the problem with tobacco use (smoked and smokeless) among both men and women throughout India.
Based on HBCR data, 27 per cent of cancers in India are associated with tobacco use placing it as the highest contributing risk factor for cancer in India.
As defined by the report, the parts of the body associated with tobacco-related cancers include the lip, tongue, mouth, pharynx, esophagus, larynx, lungs, and urinary bladder.
