Doctors Suggest Total Ban Of Tobacco Products In Nagaland - Eastern Mirror
Friday, March 29, 2024
image
Nagaland

Doctors suggest total ban of tobacco products in Nagaland

6103
By Our Correspondent Updated: May 31, 2019 12:03 am
IMG 20190530 161543
Tobacco products for sale in a shop in Dimapur.


Eastern Mirror Desk

Dimapur, May 30: Annually, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and global partners celebrate World No Tobacco Day on May 31. The campaign aims to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.

Speaking about the global event, the chief medical officer of Dimapur, Dr. K Vikato Kinimi, told Eastern Mirror on Thursday that the event would be observed at Delhi Public School, Darogapathar in Dimapur from 10 am onwards. He said that about 100 schools and its principals/headmasters have been invited to attend the programme. Last year, Kinimi said, 107 schools in Dimapur district were declared tobacco-free.

Certificates will also be awarded to some schools which have recently been declared as ‘tobacco free zone.’ He was confident that the ‘consumption of tobacco in Nagaland has decreased.’

Kinimi assured that the latest statistics about the status of tobacco abuse would be announced during the event.

Meanwhile, the theme in 2018 theme was on ‘tobacco and heart disease.’ Some medical officers of Dimapur district were of the opinion that tobacco should be banned totally in Nagaland.

A survey conducted in 2018 showed significant reduction in tobacco consumption in Nagaland; indicating that Nagaland had moved to eight from its previous position of second highest tobacco-consuming state in the country.

This, the doctors argued, could be attributed to anti-tobacco campaigns that are being conducted in the state. But it was reported that Nagaland has the highest number of nasopharyngeal cancer (head and neck cancer) in the country with about 15.3% among male and 10.8% among female.

According to a population-based cancer survey by the Indian Council of Medical Research (2012–2014), the state also registers 454 new cases of cancer every year.

Another survey carried out by the department of Health and Family Welfare in 2013–2014 showed Nagaland had ‘high tobacco-abuse prevalence (29.3%) among children under 15 years of age and 41.2% for children buying tobacco products for parents.’

The WHO sets a particular theme every year; and this year, the theme is on ‘tobacco and lung health.’ The campaign seeks to raise awareness about ‘the negative impact that tobacco has on people’s lung health, from cancer to chronic respiratory disease,’ and ‘the fundamental role lungs play for the health and well-being of all people.’

It also serves as a call to action, advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption and engaging stakeholders across multiple sectors in the fight for tobacco control.

How Khonoma set precedence

Our Correspondent
Kohima, May 30 (EMN): Seventeen years ago, Khonoma village in Kohima had banned selling of tobacco products within the village.

Representatives of various village bodies, organisations, unions had on April 2002 decided to ‘end’ selling of tobacco products in the village during a meeting, according to a document provided by the chairman of Khonoma Village Council (KVC), Neisamezo Pier.

At the heart of the decision to impose the ban, as per the document, was a ‘concern for the welfare of the future generation, particularly the young people’ of the village.

Starting from May 1, 2002 till date, the ban has been “100% successful,” according to the villagers. There has been no such cases of people caught selling tobacco in the village after the declaration, Neikedolie Hiekha, the chairman of Ecotourism Management Committee, Khonoma told Eastern Mirror.

In spite of complaints from the sellers and consumers, he said, the villagers understand such initiative is “very good for the future generation, especially for the children.”

Normally, tobacco consumers in the village buy from other places and consume at home, he said while adding that they cannot impose fine for consumption. He jested that visitors unaware of the tobacco ban “suffer” when they come to Khonoma. But, he was quick to clarify, they respect the instruction of the village.

The penalty for selling tobacco within Khonoma is INR 2000; but there is an interesting rider. In this unique penalty system, the offender must pay INR 500 to the person who caught him/her or reported the offence; another INR 500 to the Khel he/she belongs to; and INR 1000 to Rüffünuo Khonoma (a body that oversees the ban).

If unable to pay the penalties within 10 days, the offender’s khel youth will be responsible to pay the fine.

Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke, according to WHO.

6103
By Our Correspondent Updated: May 31, 2019 12:03:36 am
Website Design and Website Development by TIS