Human chain to highlight ill-effects of tobacco

By S. Shanker

CHENNAI, MAY 31. Doctors, patients and members of the public formed a human chain in front of the Royapettah Hospital today to mark World No-tobacco Day.

They distributed stickers and handouts to passers-by on the ill- effects to tobacco consumption. The pamphlets highlighted that tobacco related diseases led to premature deaths and left the families of victims shattered.

The Indian Dental Association, Madras Branch, said though the WHO focussed on smoking and its related problems including that faced by passive smokers, what was more topical to Indian conditions was the high number of tobacco chewers.

The association members said the number of students taking to tobacco-derived products was on the rise. Many cases of oral sub- mucous fibrosis had been reported among the youth, who consumed the commercially marketed tobacco products available in sachets. About seven per cent of these cases contracted oral cancer later on.

Dr. R. Gunaseelan, association president, and Dr. T. R. Saraswathi, former principal of Tamil Nadu Dental College, said commercial tobacco products caused oral sub-mucous fibrosis, which lead to bleaching of the inner mouth, restriction of tongue movement and contraction of the mouth. A major worry was there was no cure for the ailment and any relief rendered was temporary.

The association called for a ban on the sale of tobacco and related products in the State and said the government should include a chapter of the ill-effects of the `leaf' in the school curriculum.

Dr. T. Chandrasekar and Dr. D. Arunachalam, senior dentists, said ``secondhand smoking'' (passive smoking) was a threat to public heath. No action had been taken on the issue, despite two decades of evidence furnished by the scientific community on the issue.

The out-reach programme of the Sundaram Medical Foundation, Canstop, distributed stickers at important traffic signals in the city to create awareness about the harmful effects of smoking and pan masala.

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Section  : Southern States
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