Nagpur: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned tobacco-based products like gutkha, kharra, pan masala, scented tobacco, and betel nut, whether flavoured, scented or mixed with other ingredients and additives, for one more year. The GR dated July 15, 2016, states that the ban is being implemented from July 20 .
The ban has been imposed for fifth year in a row after 20 organizations and institutions pressurised the Maharashtra government for continuing with the ban and providing fresh data and information on the ill-effects of these products.
"The state government doesn't have the power to ban such 'food products' for more than a year. But even if it is for one year at a time, it is more than welcome. Ban restricts sale, manufacture, distribution and storage of these products which cause diseases like oral sub-mucous fibrosis, oral, oesophageal cancers etc," said Dr Prakash Gupta, president of Action Council against Tobacco Healis — Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health, Navi Mumbai.
In the GR, the Food Safety Commissioner, FDA, Maharashtra, Harshdeep Kamble has cited data released by Government Dental College and Hospital (GDCH) Nagpur, RST Regional Cancer Hospital, Nagpur, along with fresh data as per latest media reports (including TOI report dated May 31 and July 3) to substantiate the ban. GR has also added figures of Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) and studies on economic burden of tobacco related diseases by the Public Health Foundation of India and the WHO country office in India.
GDCH dean Dr Vinay Hazarey and Regional Cancer Hospital director Dr Pankaj Chowdhary hailed the ban. "Nagpur and Vidarbha are oral cancer capitals of India. It is a very serious issue and should concern every person in the city and region. The state government deserves kudos for banning gutkha from 2012 and kharra from 2013," said Dr Hazarey. "Fresh data from Regional Cancer Hospital, GDCH and 20 other institutions and organizations has once again proved the fact that tobacco kills," said Dr Chowdhary.
Dr BK Sharma, deputy director of Regional Cancer Hospital, said chewing tobacco and its products not only cause OSF and oral cancer but they also lead to diseases like leukoplakia, stomach cancer, metabolic abnormalities, gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases besides affecting the reproductive health.
In 2015, Tata Memorial Hospital recorded out of 30,107, 16,916 patients were found to have tobacco related cancer which is 56.19% of cancer cases reported there
Government Dental College and Hospital, Nagpur, in 2015-16 reported 151 cases of oral cancer (80% were preoral cancer stage and 20% oral cancer)
30% of all cancers reported at Regional Cancer Hospital, Nagpur, were of oral cancer
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