The increasing consumption of Guthka, Pan Masala and such other chewing
tobacco products in Jammu and Kashmir is a matter of deep concern.
Unfortunately, even the children and young adolescents have access to
these products as they are freely available and at affordable costs at
every nook and corner of the State. These products thus act as a gateway
to drug addiction for this vulnerable population. Besides, poor section
of the society consumes it as a leisure product. The impact can be seen
in the form of rising number of cancer cases, especially oral cancer in
the State.
As per, Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)-India Report 2009-10, among 26.6% adult tobacco users in the State of J&K, 8% exclusively use smokeless form of tobacco. Shockingly, usage of Guthka, Pan Masala and such other chewing tobacco products are found to be significant among females and young adults in the State. Among 4.1% of the current women users in the State 3.7 % are consuming it on a daily basis. In other words, a majority of them are addicted to the Guthka products.
It is in this context of greater health concerns, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a notification in 2011 that clearly states “any food product should not contain tobacco and nicotine”. Therefore, Guthka, Pan Masala and such other chewing tobacco products falling under this category are prohibited by virtue of the above mentioned notification. 14 states including Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Mizoram, Sikkim and Uttarakhand have already banned and complied with the notification, by issuing orders and taking appropriate measures to prevent the sales, manufacture and use of these lethal products.
Government of Jammu & Kashmir should also take measures to ban Guthka and other chewable food products containing tobacco and nicotine as ingredients, to show its commitment towards greater health concerns of the citizens. This would be a milestone and progressive step towards making J&K a tobacco free State.
(A. M. Mir, IAS (Retd.) is Executive Director J&K Voluntary Health Association)
As per, Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)-India Report 2009-10, among 26.6% adult tobacco users in the State of J&K, 8% exclusively use smokeless form of tobacco. Shockingly, usage of Guthka, Pan Masala and such other chewing tobacco products are found to be significant among females and young adults in the State. Among 4.1% of the current women users in the State 3.7 % are consuming it on a daily basis. In other words, a majority of them are addicted to the Guthka products.
It is in this context of greater health concerns, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a notification in 2011 that clearly states “any food product should not contain tobacco and nicotine”. Therefore, Guthka, Pan Masala and such other chewing tobacco products falling under this category are prohibited by virtue of the above mentioned notification. 14 states including Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Mizoram, Sikkim and Uttarakhand have already banned and complied with the notification, by issuing orders and taking appropriate measures to prevent the sales, manufacture and use of these lethal products.
Government of Jammu & Kashmir should also take measures to ban Guthka and other chewable food products containing tobacco and nicotine as ingredients, to show its commitment towards greater health concerns of the citizens. This would be a milestone and progressive step towards making J&K a tobacco free State.
(A. M. Mir, IAS (Retd.) is Executive Director J&K Voluntary Health Association)
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