May 31 is World No Tobacco Day
DIMAPUR, MAY 30 (MExN): With World No Tobacco Day to be observed on May 31 under the theme ‘Tobacco as a threat to development,’ the District Tobacco Control Cell, Dimapur today said it is pertinent to recognise the full extent of the ‘tobacco epidemic’ in Nagaland state.
A statement issued by Dr C Tetseo, Nodal Officer, District Tobacco Control Cell, Dimapur pointed specifically to three areas of concern—expenditure on tobacco products; medical cost and loss of productivity; and environmental pollution.
Dr Tetseo pointed out that while large tobacco farming is non-existent in Nagaland, the prevalence rate of tobacco use is extremely high and “definitely has negative economic impact on the families.”
“The average monthly expenditure of the use of different tobacco products are as follow: - cigarettes Rs 3000-10000, depending on the brand. Bedi Rs 1000-1500, Gutka Rs 1500-2000, pan and tamul Rs 1500-5000,” he postulated.
He further stated that most of the times these habits are combined and more than one person in a family could be using tobacco products and the expenditure increases manifolds. “So even in poor household, people spend more money on tobacco products than on medicines, fruits or vegetables and school fees. Cigarette smokers may spend more than the salary of graduate teachers in some private schools,” he added.
Dr Tetseo further stated that the bigger social economic impact of tobacco use is due to medical cost and loss of productivity. “Many families in our own state have already been pushed to the brink of poverty due to medical cost or loss of productivity resulting from the ill health of the bread winners of the families. It is alarming that the incidence of cancer, cardio vascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases attributed tobacco use have been increasing and this is only going to aggravate the already precarious situation,” he stated.
The District Nodal officer added that this situation is also going to increase the financial burden on the state government as more people go for outside treatment.
Another area of concern he highlighted is environmental pollution, where litter as a result of used tobacco products has become a potential source of pollution in the state and can lead to flooding by clogging the drains.
“Everybody will agree that empty Talab packets are the most prominent sight in any part of our towns. We cannot deny the fact that the litters of used tobacco products have become a major source of pollution. The spit on the walls and dustbins could also become a source of infection,” the Nodal Officer said.
The latest National family health survey (NFHS) 2015-16 report shows that currently 69.4 % men and 27.5% women (15-49 years) in Nagaland consume Tobacco. While the NFHS is not a tobacco specific survey, the Doctor cautioned that this statistic “spells doom for our future generation.”
Tobacco use could become the single most preventable cause of not only deaths but a threat to sustainable developments, he stated. “It is a wakeup call for the state government, Churches, student organisations and all the stake holders to acknowledge this fact and do whatever is possible to change the perception of tobacco use as an acceptable behaviour.”
The Nodal Officer termed this year’s theme of ‘Tobacco a Threat to Development’ as relevant in view of the fact that tobacco is “not merely a threat to individual health but it is a threat to the society and environment as well.”
He claimed that the idea of sustainable development that “promotes prosperity and economic opportunity, greater social wellbeing and protection of the environment” is in “complete contrast of what the tobacco industry propagates.”
Tobacco, he stated, “has never brought about widespread prosperity except to the big giants like Philips Morris and ITC,” and has rather “caused increase poverty for both tobacco farmers and users and environmental degradation.”
