‘Raise taxes, curb tobacco sales’

Bengaluru: “I was 42 when my father died of cancer and it was then that I decided I was never going to touch a cigarette or tobacco,” says 69-year-old Manohar Prasad who says that he has lost most of his friends to cigarette smoking. As the world observes No Tobacco Day on Saturday, city oncologists feel that even though there is a degree of awareness, the smoking habit cannot be curtailed effectively.

Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology sees around 1200 patients suffering from oral cancer because of smoking and other forms of tobacco usage every year. Dr M Vijay Kumar, Director, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology says, “Young women have taken to smoking in urban areas. Girls who are educated have started smoking, which goes against the rule of more education, more awareness.”

Despite cigarette packs declaring ‘Smoking is injurious to health’ there is an rise in tobacco usage. Dr Kumar says, “Kidwai sees roughly 100 new cancer patients every month with crude oral cancer. The point is the maximum tax comes from cigarette sales. Tobacco on the other hand carries lower taxes. Whereas 75%-85% of tobacco consumption comes from smokeless tobacco consumption. Hence the government should increase the price of smokeless tobacco by increasing the tax levied on it.”

Many vendors and shopkeepers selling tobacco products target youngsters by bypassing the Indian Tobacco Control Act (COTPA 2003). “This industry targets the youth and vendors sells products near schools and colleges by not following the COTPA Act which strictly prohibits sale of tobacco within 100 yards of any school, but  this is not followed,” says Dr Vishal Rao, Senior consultant Head Neck surgical oncology, BGS Hospital.