'57% of Nagaland’s populace consume tobacco'
Peren, August 3 (MExN): A School Awareness Programme under National Tobacco Control programme (NTCP) Peren district was launched at Peren Government College on August 3.
ADC Peren Tainiu was the Chief Guest on the occasion while Dr. Hutokhu Chishi, State Nodal Officer (NTCP) Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, Kohima, was the resource person. The programme was attended by Senior Medical Officer, Dr. Lhukhovi, DH Peren, Dr. Sabino, District Nodal Officer, NTCP, all the Staff and students of Peren College and Staff of Chief Medical Office, a press release informed.
Chairing the programme, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. M. Tiala Longkumer gave the introductory note about NTCP and stated that the main objective is to create greater awareness on Tobacco and to control tobacco consumption. She stated that 50 schools will be covered under Peren district for awareness on Tobacco.
Dr. Chishi in a keynote address highlighted tobacco related health problems, stating Tobacco is the only legal food product available in the market that kills 50% of its users.
Globally, tobacco kills 5.4 million people every year. 90% of oral cancers are due to tobacco use. India is the third largest producer in the world, the second largest consumer in the world and 1 million of Indians die every year due to tobacco. India has the largest number of oral cancer in the world. 40% of all cancers in India are due to tobacco, 2200 Indians die every day due to tobacco use. In 2010, nearly 1 million Indians died due to smoking.
Highlighting the tobacco scenario in Nagaland, he stated that tobacco consumption in Nagaland stands at 57%. He further spoke about the burdens of tobacco: Health, economy and environment. Dr. Chishi urged the youth to inculcate tobacco free lifestyle, to become anti-tobacco activists, to initiate tobacco free meetings and conferences, to participate in tobacco control implementation and to update knowledge on tobacco control laws.
The ADC Peren officially launched the NTCP programme with a leaflet about the facts of tobacco “Choose life not Tobacco”. She gave a short speech urging all the participants to share the ill effects of Tobacco. Quoting James Keller’s, “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle,” the release mentioned the chief guest as saying that only one organization, or an institution or department cannot bring change but together we can and urged all to fight together for a tobacco-free generation.
