RNS: As many as 12 lakh Indians die from tobacco-related diseases each year, said Dr A K Pathak Civil Surgeon Bokaro. According to WHO, India itself is home to 12 per cent of smokers around the world, which amounts to approximately 12 crore smokers, putting India among the top 4 users of tobacco world over, he said while inaugurating a Tobacco Control and Cessation Center at Bokaro General Hospital (BGH).
Speaking on the Occasion Rajshree Rani Nodal Officer of District Tobacco Control Programme said, according to the Global Adult Survey and National Family Health Survey report about 44 per cent of men in India and about 38.9 percent of youths in Jharkhand consume some form of tobacco and “around 12 lakh die every year due to smoking,” she added.
It is estimated that, half of those who lose their lives to tobacco each year succumb to cardiovascular diseases. Cancers, heart attacks, strokes and lung disease are the main diseases associated with tobacco. In fact, tobacco is one of the major causes of heart diseases accounting for about 17 percent of all deaths due to them, she said.
With active or passive smoking killing more than seven million people every year, tobacco consumption blamed for the death of on average one person every six seconds, claims WHO, she said.
“Tobacco is one of the major causes of death and disease in India. Tobacco abuse is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases, including cancer, lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases and stroke,” said Dr AK Singh, DMS BGH.
It is our collective responsibility to make people aware about the harm caused by tobacco, he said adding, “in the coming days, people of Bokaro and its surroundings will be able to get benefits from this center.”
Rajiv Kumar, a member of State advisory committee said, He India is the largest consumer and third-largest producer of tobacco. Here, a plethora of tobacco products are available at low prices. There is an urgent need to bring about change.
“Tobacco affects the Indian economy greatly owing to increased health care costs and decreased productivity. It worsens health and causes poverty to rise,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Sanjay Choudhary urged from every section of the society to be united and come forward against the tobacco and make the common people aware.
