New Delhi, August 8: Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday asked the states to pass necessary order to implement the ban on all forms of processed flavoured or scented chewing tobacco like gutka and zarda.
Citing that tobacco use is the foremost preventable cause of death and disease globally as well as in India, the minister in his letter written to the states asked them to formulate a new policy to ban all forms of tobacco.
“Available evidence suggests that India shares the maximum burden of oral cancer in the world. As such the consequent burden of mortality and morbidity due to consumption of smokeless tobacco is very high in India,” said the letter, exempting states and UTs like AP, Telangana, Assam, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Maharashtra, Mizoram and Manipur.
While most states have effectively banned gutkha, the minister asked the states to take a step forward and ban sweet flavourings. “They are packaged in a shiny and colourful manner and are available at low prices making them affordable to the poor and vulnerable groups like women and children.
The use of smokeless tobacco is associated with high prevalence of oral cancer in India and almost 90 per cent of these oral cancers are linked to tobacco use,” he added further.
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