There is a startling fact about smokers in Kerala. A survey by the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) has showed that the smokers in Kerala spend nearly nine per cent of their income on this habit.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy released the report to Paul Sebastian, director, Regional Cancer Centre and vice chairman of Tobacco Free Kerala.
The GAT Survey performed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2009-10, found that the monthly expenditure of a smoker on cigarettes is Rs.484 and Rs.139 on bidis.
The survey also speaks about the tobacco consumption habits of smokers and says that 58.6 per cent users consume tobacco within half-an-hour of waking up. In Kerala, 21.4 per cent of adults including 35.5 per cent of males and 8.5 per cent of females use tobacco in one form or another.
The average age to start use of tobacco among adults in India is 17.8 years, it is 18.3 years in Kerala.
--with inputs from IANS
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Comments:
SAJIMON.N
October 11, 2012 at 7:14 PM
It is unfortunate to know that the so called sensible people of Kerala spend so much income on tobacco.now it is the high time that the authority to take some necessary steps to prevent the availability of such materials in Kerala.the youngsters in Kerala should be conscious about such social evils.