Bhubaneswar: The doctors from the state capital invited people of Odisha to quit chewing tobacco and smoking on the eve of No Tobacco Day May 31. The doctors highlighted the consequences of tobacco that can destroy a person’s life.
Dr Sourav Kumar Mishra, MD (BHU), DM (Cancer Institute, Chennai), ECMO and Associate Professor of Department of Medical Oncology, IMS & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar said, “Globally 18 lakh deaths are caused by lung cancer annually. Smoking is the most common preventable cause of lung cancer. Smokers are 20 times more likely to develop lung cancer in their lifetime, compared with non-smokers. Exposure to second-hand smoke at home or in the workplace increases the risk of developing lung cancer by 30%. After smoking cessation, the risk of developing lung cancer is halved compared to smokers. Annually 68,000 new cases of lung cancers are diagnosed in India.”
In addition to that, Mishra added, cancers of the lip and oral cavity are the most common cancers in Indian males accounting for 92,000 new cases annually.
According to WHO Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2016-2017, about 46 per cent of adults currently use tobacco (Above national average) in Odisha.
The report also revealed that tobacco killed 10 crores of people in the 20th century. Annually 80 lakh people die of tobacco related illnesses and of these; 10 lakh deaths occur due to second hand smoke. “Tobacco kills one person every 4 seconds. In India 42 % of men, 14 % of women and 28 % (27 crores) of all adults currently use tobacco (smoked and/or smokeless tobacco), report says.
Senior cardiologist at BRlife Kalinga hospital Dr Sushant Saila said, “Using tobacco is like paying to have your life cut shorter. By smoking you are not only killing yourself but also contributing to the death of others by passive smoking which can damage their heart apart from causing cancers.”
Dr Dilip Kumar Kar (Consultant Surgical Oncology) called people to create a tobacco free society on this World No Tobacco Day. “If we save the child and women from such tobacco exposure then we can save a family and and a young brain from cancer in future. I advocate for “Exclude the Children of any age plus female of all ages from Tobacco/Bidi Industry in India.”
City doctors also asked government to prevent tobacco use for the future of Odisha. They also urged government to raise tax on tobacco products and asked for a ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.