Effective enforcement of Tobacco Control Act stressed
Our Correspondent
Kohima | April 26
There is a need to make concerted effort to control the menace of tobacco and effective enforcement of Tobacco control Act in Nagaland. This was stressed at the State level advocacy workshop on tobacco control for departmental law enforcement officers held here today at the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar urged each and every individual to fight the menace of tobacco.
He said that passing of an Act cannot control the habit of consuming tobacco unless every sections of people are aware of the harmful effects of consuming tobacco.
He appealed to the NGOs and all the civil societies to actively involve in giving awareness programme to the common people. He suggested that all the educational institutions should follow hundred yards of tobacco free zone since most of the tobacco consumers are aged between 15 to 24 years
Health & family welfare principal director Dr. Sukhato A Sema said that India is the leading signatory of FCTC treaty which lead to the enactment of the law called COTPA 2003 in the parliament.
180 countries at present are treaty partners of FCTC. Dr. Sema said the objective of organizing the state level advocacy workshop is to enable the departmental law enforcement officers to understand tobacco Control laws (COTPA 2003, the Cigarettes & Other Tobacco Product Act).
He said that tobacco is the single largest preventable cause of premature death and disease worldwide (WHO). Globally, Tobacco kills 5.4 million people every year.
Tragically, more than 80% of these deaths occur in the developing world (India). Each year 8-9 lakh Indians dies due to tobacco related diseases. All these deaths are preventable. He also said that more than 2200 Indians die everyday due to tobacco use. Indian has the highest number of oral cancer cases in the world and 90% of all oral cancers are related to the tobacco use. Almost 50% of all cancers in India are due to tobacco use.
By 2010, nearly 1 million people have died every year because of smoking in India. 70% of smokers, who will die, will be between the ages of 30 and 69.
The principal director said that Second Hand Smoke (SHS) is equally harmful (i.e. inhaling smoke from other’s cigarettes or bidis)
He said according to Nagaland School Oral Health Survey- 2014, (8-13 yrs or class 3 to 8 ), it registered smokeless users at 28.3%, smoking- 14.8% and children buying tobacco for parents 41.2%.
Talking on burden or tobacco and state tobacco profile, Dr. H. Hotokhu Chishi, joint director Dental & State Nodal Officer NTCP, Directorate of Health & Family Welfare said that globally, tobacco is the only legal products that kills 50% of its users.
There are 1 billion smokers in the world. 20% of women comprise world smokers. Globally tobacco kills 5.4 million people every year. 90% of oral cancers are due to tobacco use.
India is the third largest producer of Tobacco in the world (next to China & Brasil) and also second largest consumer in the world (next to China).
Dr. Chishi said that 8-9 Lakhs of Indians die every year due to tobacco. India has the largest number of oral cancer in the world.
On Tobacco related referral cases (Oral Cancer) in Nagaland, Dr. Chishi said that altogether 234 number f tobacco related pre-cancerous cases detected during the last 3 years ( 27 in 2007, 120 in 2008 and 96 in 2009). Further, 155 number of tobacco related cancerous confirmed and referred outside the state during the last 3 years ( 18 in 2007, 69 in 2008 and 28 in 2009).
He also highlighted the tobacco scenario in Nagaland. D. Chishi stressed on the need to stay away from use of tobacco and make Nagaland a tobacco free state. The inaugural function was chaired by health & family welfare secretary Senti Ao while vote of thanks was proposed by NHM MD Dr. Yankho Lotha.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Kohima, Mezivolu T. Therieh talked on Tobacco Control Act (COTPA 2003) while Dr. N.Savino, additional director talked on role of enforcement officers. Dr. C. Tetseo, DNO Dimapur talked on enforcement model while closing remark was given by Dr. N. M.Kithan.
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