What warnings, ask cigarette companies…..Priyanka Vora
Tobacco companies stop production blaming ambiguity over warnings on packs; health experts say higher expenditure in treating cancer patients as compared to revenue losses
Tobacco companies stop production blaming ambiguity over warnings on packs; health experts say higher expenditure in treating cancer patients as compared to revenue losses
Major cigarette and bidi manufacturing companies stopped production from December 1 blaming ambiguity over pictorial warnings on the packets that may lead to a revenue loss of Rs 100 crore to the country.
They want better clarity on the government’s stand that pictorial warnings should be changed every year.
Anti-smoking non-profit organisations have retaliated saying that a much higher amount is spent on treating patients suffering from cancer caused by tobacco.
Health experts have reciprocated by sharing a recent study published in the international tobacco control journal.
The study shows that direct medical costs of treating tobacco related diseases in the country amounted to Rs 4,066 crore for smoked tobacco and Rs 1,277 crore for smokeless tobacco.
“We cannot estimate the monetary value of death caused by tobacco related cancer.
The amount spent in treating tobacco affected patients is any day higher than the revenue the country gets from tobacco manufacturing companies,” said, Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, a cancer surgeon.
The amount spent in treating tobacco affected patients is any day higher than the revenue the country gets from tobacco manufacturing companies,” said, Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, a cancer surgeon.
He said that India loses one person to tobacco-triggered cancer everyday.
“Major studies have shown that the present pictorial warnings are not that effective and there is a clear need for a stronger pictorial warning in the form of a mouth depicting oral cancer,” said Chaturvedi, stating that it’s pressure tactics on the part of the manufacturing companies.
“We have been pressing for such warnings from years and now they have come into force. By using such tactics, these companies can’t get away from this.”
Devika Chadda, project director of Salaam Bombay, said that the pictorial warnings have a great impact on children, as they get discouraged to smoke by seeing the after-effects of smoking.
“Such effects have even been proved by studies both in India and abroad. By shutting their plants, these companies are just trying to escape from pictorial warnings which can have an impact on people,” she said.
“Such effects have even been proved by studies both in India and abroad. By shutting their plants, these companies are just trying to escape from pictorial warnings which can have an impact on people,” she said.
Rs 4,066 cr
Annual medical cost for treating diseases caused by smoked tobacco
Annual medical cost for treating diseases caused by smoked tobacco
Rs1,277 cr
Annual medical cost for treating diseases caused by smokeless tobacco.
Annual medical cost for treating diseases caused by smokeless tobacco.
Health Warning
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had notified in May this year that all tobacco product packs in the country must carry pictorial health warnings, like depicting a cancer-stricken mouth, from December 1, 2010. Currently, cancer stricken lungs are used as pictorial warnings.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had notified in May this year that all tobacco product packs in the country must carry pictorial health warnings, like depicting a cancer-stricken mouth, from December 1, 2010. Currently, cancer stricken lungs are used as pictorial warnings.
URL: http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/dec/071210-Tobacco-cancer-patients-cigarette-companies-mumbai.htm