Tobacco has been touted as the lifeline for a sizeable chunk of India's population, particularly rural women, tribals and other weaker sections of society. The website of Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI) puts the number of people directly or indirectly involved in tobacco industry to 36 million - including farmers, processing agents, marketers and exporters.
But the blatant irony of labelling tobacco as a lifeline of people is hard to miss. This purported lifeline, in fact, snatches away the lives of hundreds and thousands of Indians each year.
A recent nationwide study on smoking and mortality in India estimated that cigarette and bidi smoking causes about 5 per cent of all deaths in women and 20 per cent of all deaths in men aged 30-69 years, totalling one million deaths per year in India in 2010.
This alarming emerges from a study of smokers - cigarette and bidi - only. However there are several other ways in which Indians use tobacco.
The FAQ section of CTRI boasts that 93 varieties including FCV (29), Burley (3), Natu (5), Lanka (2), Chewing (17), Bidi (15), Cheroot (3), Cigar (4), Hookah & chewing (15) types have been released for farming community.
Wonder what would be the mortality rates if all forms of tobacco users were to be studied - surely, would be an alarming proposition.
And, are we re-defining 'lifeline'?
Image courtesy: Tobacco Facts
But the blatant irony of labelling tobacco as a lifeline of people is hard to miss. This purported lifeline, in fact, snatches away the lives of hundreds and thousands of Indians each year.
This alarming emerges from a study of smokers - cigarette and bidi - only. However there are several other ways in which Indians use tobacco.
The FAQ section of CTRI boasts that 93 varieties including FCV (29), Burley (3), Natu (5), Lanka (2), Chewing (17), Bidi (15), Cheroot (3), Cigar (4), Hookah & chewing (15) types have been released for farming community.
Wonder what would be the mortality rates if all forms of tobacco users were to be studied - surely, would be an alarming proposition.
And, are we re-defining 'lifeline'?
Image courtesy: Tobacco Facts
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