The use of tobacco products swallows around 80 lakh people’s lives across the world and according to statistics, India is the largest country in terms of production and consumption of tobacco products. Haryana also emerges among those states making the maximum use of tobacco products. The National Family Health Survey-5 revealed that 29.1% males use tobacco products to be followed by 2.6% which continues to result in the untimely deaths of thousands of people. The survey included the people falling into the 15 years or above age group. The survey also revealed that the people residing in rural areas consume more tobacco as compared to the people residing in urban areas. Among the male, 32.2% males use tobacco while 23.3% urban people used tobacco in any form. If you look at the female tobacco users the scenario remains almost the same as out of total 2.6%, 3% rural women consume tobacco products followed by 1.7% urban women who consume tobacco.
In this series, it is pertinent to mention that the Haryana government had extended the ban on the sale and manufacture of gutkha and pan masala for one year. The state Food and Drugs Administration has issued a notification in this regard, under which the sale and purchase of tobacco products have been prohibited for a year from 7 September 2021. Now, the sale of tobacco and nicotine products like pan masala and gutkha in Haryana will be considered illegal till September 2022. The order said legal action will be taken against those who violate the rule. Despite that, tobacco products are being sold and purchased openly violating the rules which is a matter of serious concern.
The survey also revealed that at the National level, 39% of men and 4% of women (15-49 years age group) use some form of tobacco. The most common form of tobacco consumption among men is chewing gutka and pan masala (15%) to be followed by smoking (13percent), using khaini (12%) and bidis (7%). Among those who use cigarettes or bidis, 46% smoke more than five cigarettes or bidis each day on average. Among women, the most form of tobacco used is chewing pan masala and gutka, chewing pan with gutka and khaini. The trend which came to the surface is that the use of any kind of tobacco decreased from 45% and 7% among men and women from 2015 to 2016 to 39% and 4% among men and women in 2019-21 respectively.
Pertaining to the issue, Prof. Sonu, an expert from PGI said that the use of off tobacco products is a matter of serious concern as it causes health hazards. It not only affects the life and health of a person using tobacco but also creates problems for the family members. Apart from this, an active smoker puts the lives of other people around them. In the wake of the increasing trend of tobacco among youth. Check holders namely the government, non-government organisations, social organisations, education and health departments should come up with full-proof strategy to curb the menace.