Tobacco kills. The two words sum it all.
The words printed on all tobacco products is a clear warning of the impending consequence but despite that more Indians are dying due to the after effects of tobacco consumption than ever before.
According to a recent study, 114 Indians die every hour due to causes which can be directly linked to tobacco. The decision to increase the size of pictorial warnings on packets to 85% and higher taxes do not seem to have deterred people from consuming tobacco.
The number of male smokers in the country has gone up by 36% in the last 17 years, a rise of 29 million. There are about 11 million women smokers in the country.
WHO representative, India, Dr Henk Bekedem says that while the number of smokers in India are rising, but the government is optimistic.
India also records the highest number of oral cancer cases in the world. The cost of its treatment is humongous for a developing country like India where almost Rs 1,04,500 crore is spent on healthcare.
According to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, the government is trying to bring down tobacco consumption in the country. “The government is holding several programmes to discourage people to use tobacco. The government has introduced 85% warnings," Nadda adds.
However, activists claim that just the steps taken till now are not enough. "The doctors believe that a person can quit smoking only is he or she has a strong determination," Voluntary Health Association Of India Executive Director Bhavna Mukhopadhyay says.
Tobacco is an enormous health and economic burden for the country. Nearly 10 lakh Indians die annually from tobacco related diseases in India and 50% of all cancers in India are due to consumption of tobacco.
In what could sound alarming, tobacco smoking currently kills 5 million people a year worldwide and, according to estimates, will probably kill 8 million people a year between now and 2030 and 1 billion over the course of the 21st century, according to WHO reports.
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