The Indian state of Uttarakhand which is best known for beautiful places and good climate has added a dubious identity of being the state with highest consumption of tobacco products. Jammu and Kashmir is on second place in terms of tobacco consumption, says a survey.
A Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) fact sheet for north India suggests that even after awareness about the hazards of tobacco has increased to a great extent current consumption of tobacco in Uttarakhand is a high 30.7 percent, followed by Jammu and Kashmir 26.6 percent. The national capital Delhi holds the third rank with 24.3 percent.
"We need to sensitise the public, especially youngsters. It should be a collective measure. Both the central and state governments have taken various measures but we need to keep on emphasising and raise the public awareness to control the tobacco consumption," Shakuntla D.Gamlin, joint secretary (public health) in the health ministry said on the release of data.
The 'North Region Fact Sheet' of GATS India conducted a study in states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Chandigarh.
According to the results of the survey, the use of bidi and smokeless tobacco -- chewing gutka and pan masala -- was found to be highest in Uttarakhand.
The report also says that Jammu and Kashmir has the highest number of who cigarette smoker but it has lesser number of people who use smokeless tobacco. The state also has highest number of passive smokers at work places.
"We are acting tough on people who smoke in public places, particularly at work places, we have issued challans to almost 40,000 people this year. The state has also increased VAT from 25 to 30 percent on all tobacco products," Surender Mohan, assistant drug controller, Jammu and Kashmir has been quoted as saying..
The study also provides data regarding average monthly expense on smoking saying it was high in Jammu and Kashmir, ranging from Rs.513.60 for cigarettes to Rs.134 for bidi.
The survey also suggested that a large number of people have opted to quit smoking and smokeless tobacco. The attempts to quit tobacco are highest in Haryana and lowest in Delhi.
--with inputs from IANS
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