Newmai News Network
AIZAWL | September 11
Mizoram nodal officer National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), Dr Eric Zomawia said that more than 58 per cent of Mizoram’s population used various types of tobacco products registering the second highest tobacco consuming state in the country after Tripura.
Quoting Population based cancer registry 2012-2014 report, he said that majority of cancer cases in the state are caused due to consumption of tobacco and its related products.
According to a survey conducted at Aizawl Civil Hospital in 2017, 80 per cent of the patients use different types of tobacco products and 35.59 per cent of them smoked cigarette, Zorammawia said.
Meanwhile, Mizoram Chief Minister, Zoramthanga on Wednesday made a clarion call to combat tobacco in the state.
Speaking on the occasion of the 6th Mizoram State anti-Tobacco Day observation at Chanmari YM Hall here, the Chief Minister said that efforts should be made by each individual to "abstain" from tobacco. He also said that consumption of tobacco products is nothing good but causes damage to health. According to Zoramthanga, the Mizo people are traditionally heavy smokers.
However, the rate of tobacco consumption in the state is declining gradually due to the efforts made by the government and Indian Society on Tobacco & Health, (ISTH) Mizoram chapter, Zoramthanga said. He also said that tobacco should be combated on a war-footing.
“Though the state achieved progress in reducing the rate of smoking, other types of products like tuibur (nicotine water extract of tobacco smoke), sada (khaini) and gutkha are still being widely used in the state,” the Chief Minister said.
Zoramthanga then said that Mizo people are easy to be educated and that every individual should declared "major war" against tobacco.
Mizoram Chief Secretary, Lalnunmawia Chuaungo, who also spoke on the occasion said that as many as 54 per cent of male population and 14 per cent female smoke cigarette and meizial (locally made hand rolled bidi), while 21 per cent male and 46 per cent female consume other tobacco products like sada and tuibur as mentioned in Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2 (GATS-2) 2017.
Meanwhile, state Anti-Tobacco Day was also observed in different parts of the state. The event was organized jointly by Indian Society on Tobacco & Health: Mizoram Chapter (ISTHM) and National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP).
Mizoram has been observing state Anti-Tobacco Day since 2014.
