Sunday, December 13, 2015

Mizo people highest tobacco consumers in country

AIZAWL, Dec 14 - Mizoram has the highest rate of tobacco consumption in the country with a record of 67.2 per cent of its population using different kinds of tobacco products, Dr Jane R Ralte, Nodal Officer of Mizoram State Tobacco Control Society said, while quoting the report of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS).

She added that about 8 lakh people of the world died every year due to second-hand smoke.

Addressing a one day 'Media Workshop on Tobacco Control in Mizoram' here recently, Dr Ralte said that as many as 5,41,000 people in Mizoram used different kinds of tobacco products and the total annual expenditure on tobacco products is estimated at Rs 21,934. While there are 2,01,252 cigarette smokers in Mizoram 33,001 are Zozial (locally made or indigenous cigar) smokers.

National Family Health Survey-3, reports that during 2005-06 the total percentage of male smokers in Mizoram was 73.6 which was much higher than the country average percentage of male smokers (32.1%).

The percentage of female smokers was 16.1 per cent. While the percentage of male using any tobacco was 83.4, female using any tobacco products was estimated at 60.8 percent during 2005-6, reposts National Family Health Survey-3.

According to Dr Ralte about 100 million people have been killed worldwide in the 20th Century due to consumption of tobacco and if this trend continues, tobacco could kill 1 billion people during the 21st Century.

It has been estimated that by 2030, tobacco will kill 8 million people each year unless urgent action is taken, she said.

She also said that about 8 lakh people have been killed every year due to second-hand smoke and 62 percent of non-smokers in Mizoram are exposed to second hand smoke at work places.

Dr Ralte said that Mizoram registered the highest rate of cancer patients in India with a record of 5,888 people suffering from the deadly disease while about 3137 people had died of cancer in 5 years.