Despite ban, gutkha and other chewable tobacco products readily available in cities: Survey

The survey noted that these products pose serious health risks, especially oral cancer, which is the most common cancer in the country.
For representational purposes (File photo| Express)
For representational purposes (File photo| Express)

NEW DELHI: Despite a ban in 2012, gutkha and other chewable tobacco products are readily available in Indian cities, with one in six families having one or more members consuming them, said a recent survey. The survey noted that these products pose serious health risks, especially oral cancer, which is the most common cancer in the country.

The survey coinciding with International Anti-Tobacco Day observed on May 31, confirmed the findings of a recent Lancet article that smokeless tobacco exceeds smoked tobacco use in India, unlike most other countries, and that gutkha remains widely used and available here.

Over 11,000 people were surveyed in 318 districts in India on gutkha and other chewable tobacco products being available in their city or neighbourhood.

Of the 11,488 people surveyed, 49% said these smokeless tobacco products are available in almost every nook and corner.

Only 5% said it is not readily available, said the survey conducted by LocalCircles, India’s leading community social media platform.

“The survey shows that some cities/ towns are doing a better job of curtailing supply of banned gutkha and other chewable tobacco products, but overall it's easily available across India with 2 in 3 citizens saying it's available in many places where they live,” said Sachin Taparia, founder LocalCircles.

Interestingly, 81 per cent said that the government should take stringent action to shut all units producing such products as the sale of gutkha and chewable tobacco products continues in India, with the ban and enforcement on the ground having failed.

The survey also asked whether any members of their immediate family consume gutkha or other chewable tobacco products. While 83% of the 11,349, who responded, said no one in their immediate family or they consume gutkha or other chewable tobacco products, 10%, however, indicated that one person in the immediate family consumes it.

“In all, 1 in 6 Indian families surveyed said they have one or more immediate family members who consume gutkha or other chewable tobacco products,” Taparia said.

According to the Lancet report, around 21.4% (199.4 million) of adults in India use smokeless tobacco, whereas 10.7% (99.5 million) use smoked tobacco products.

Additionally, India has some of the lowest tobacco quit rates, with only 20% of men quitting tobacco use (leave rates tend to be higher for women than men).

Although marketing and direct sales of tobacco products to children are banned, these restrictions are not adequately enforced. The continued tobacco use affects nearly 1.14 billion individuals globally, with a substantial number of tobacco users residing in China and India.

The Lancet article had said that companies producing gutkha had found ways to circumvent the ban by producing pan masala (a non-tobacco product containing areca nuts, slaked lime, catechu, and seasonings) under the same brand name, with tobacco provided separately in a packet for free, allowing users to prepare their gutkha.

This is known as the two-packet form of gutkha or twin-packet gutkha. Many users add extra tobacco for intense stimulation, increasing the risk of excessive nicotine consumption, the Lancet article added.

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