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Beedis are dangerous to Health and need to be regulated - Experts.

Published On : 25 Apr 2015   |  Reported By : Richard D'Souza


Udupi :  About 19% of tobacco consumption in India is in the form of cigarettes and 53% is smoked as beedis.  While beedis are an extremely cheap alternative to cigarettes, the health hazards of both are comparable.  In fact, beedis are an equally dangerous tobacco product with huge impact on public health.  In press conference organized on Friday, health officials and experts broke some of the myths about beedi consumption and elaborated on the measures needed to be taken to save the interest of larger public health.

Dr. Vijaya Hegde, Professor and Head, Dept. of Public Health, Dentistry and also President of TII Centre who led the initiative said tar levels delivered by beedis are high. One study found that beedis produced approximately three times the amount of carbon monoxide and nicotine, and approximately five times the amount of tar as cigarettes. Beedis are harmful not only to the users but also the laborers. Reports from as early as the 1970s relate the concerns of trade union leaders in Maharastra that 50% of beedi workers eventually died from tuberculosis or asthma.

The district Health Officer Dr. Surendra Chinbalkar who was present on the occasion said that in Karnataka of the 11.9% adults who smoke about 8.3% smoke beedis. Beedi puffing is harder on the lungs due to relatively low combustibility and non-porous nature of the tendu leaves requiring more frequent and deeper puffs by the smoker to keep beedis lit.

Dr. Shubhan Alva said that while tobacco control measures were in place to control the menace, what is needed more is the awareness among the masses.

Dr John Kennedy added that the expenditure on smoking related diseases in Karnataka for the year 2011 was about 702.5 crore compared to 280.4 crores on smokeless tobacco related diseases. This is a huge burden on the government as well as on the individuals affected with these diseases.

 







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