Oral mucosal lesions highly present among Kerala migrant workers

Oral mucosal lesions are highly prevalent in the users of chewing tobacco among migrant workers in Kerala, a study revealed.

Oral mucosal lesions (OML) were seen in 36.3 percent of the participants and among chewing or smokeless tobacco users, 44.6 percent had lesions.

The study led by O.P. Aslesh from the Academy of Medical Sciences, Kannur began in 2013. It was carried out among male migrant workers, most of them under 30 years of age working in factories in parts of Kannur district. 

The study showed that the prevalence of use of chewing tobacco product was 71.7 percent among the male migrant workers in the area, which was over five times more than among all the entire male population of Kerala as shown in the global adult tobacco use survey in 2010.

The sale of chewing tobacco has been banned in the state since May 2012. However, the study revealed that in spite of the ban, the use was high among male migrants.

Oral mucosal lesions like leukoplakia, erythroplakia and sub-mucous fibrosis are considered as precancerous lesions associated with the use of tobacco. This known fact has again been found true in the study.

According to the Kerala government's estimates, there are around 2.5 million migrant workers mostly from North Indian states, West Bengal and the northeast.

Aslesh's team found out that the prevalence of current use of smoked tobacco, chewing tobacco and alcohol use were respectively41.8 percent, 71.7 percent and 56.6 percent among migrants.

Oral cancer is the second most common cancer among males in India and the main cause attributed to this is the use of chewing tobacco besides alcohol consumption.

Among the current smokers, 90.2 percent use cigarettes only, 4.5 percent use beedi only and 5.4 percent use both.

Among the current users of chewing tobacco, 37.7 percent were using products containing plain tobacco leaves. Khaini was used by 26.9 percent, pan masala by 28 percent, zarda by 6.1 percent and gutka by 2.9 percent. These are chemically treated areca nut products with or without tobacco.

The practice of chewing tobacco was seen in 77.9 per cent of migrants from Uttar Pradesh and 70.1 percent from Bihar.

Source: Madhyamam

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Chew on This: Tobacco in Your Mouth Can Make You Blind

If you need another reason for not consuming tobacco in any form, here is one: a study by a reputed eye hospital in Chennai has found that chewing tobacco regularly could cause partial blindness.

“While there have been studies in the West that have found smoking to be a risk factor for early and late Age Related Maculopathy (ARM), an eye-condition that affects the central-vision of the eye in the Western population, this is the first study in India that shows that even chewing tobacco carries risks that can affect eyesight,” said Dr Rajiv Raman, senior consultant, Sankara Nethralaya, one of the members of the research team.

In Age Related Maculopathy, the macula, a part of the eye near the centre of the retina the clarity of vision straight ahead, is affected.

The three-year study titled Rural-Urban Age-related Macular Degeneration by the Vision Research Centre of Sankara Nethralaya that was published last week in ‘Eye’, a science journal in the UK, was conducted to report the age and gender adjusted prevalence rates of early and late ARM.

The study identified two independent modifiable risk factors for ARM - hypertension and chewing of tobacco in any form. This was noticed more in rural parts of the country than the urban centres, the study noted, adding that early Age Related Maculopathy was more prevalent in those individuals in the higher socioeconomic groups in the urban population.

The study led by Dr Tarun Sharma, director of Vitreoretinal Services of Sankara Nethralaya was conducted during the period 2009 and 2011, with a sample size of 6,617 - 3,904 (60 per cent) rural and 2,713 (40 per cent) urban.

For the rural population, 16 villages in Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts were chosen.

The study found that the prevalence of smokeless tobacco was almost two times in the rural population when compared with urban population (27.9 per cent vs 13.7 per cent), and this could be the probable reason for higher prevalence of early  Age Related Maculopathy  in the rural areas (21 per cent as opposed to 16 per cent). The prevalence of late  Age Related Maculopathy  was two per cent in both rural and urban populations.

“It is estimated that nearly 275 million people in India are users of tobacco. It is known that along with genetics and environmental reasons, smoking is one of the risk factors of Age-related Macular Degeneration among the Western population. However, this is the first Indian study to show smokeless tobacco will cause AMD in Indian Population,” said Dr Raman added.

“Aging population is at a risk of developing ARM, hence every effort must be taken for prevention and early diagnosis so as to minimise visual morbidity. Good control of blood pressure and stopping tobacco intake, and creating awareness on tobacco use are the only prevention methods,” noted Dr Raman.

Source: The New Indian Express

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App Maps Tobacco Vendors Near Schools

Ever thought that a 13-year-old could help shut down a cigarette shop near his school? Thanks to the Android app ‘Children Against Tobacco’, this is a distinct possibility in the future. The brainchild of S Cyril Alexander, State Convenor, Tamil Nadu People’s Forum for Tobacco Control, the app will help map tobacco vendors within 100 metres of an educational institution.

Free for public download, all you need to do is register your name, mobile number and email address, and also fill out details of the vendor. “Once a member of the public alerts us about a tobacco-selling vendor within this proximity, we will collect further evidence with photos and so on, as well as details of other such vendors in the area and then file a comprehensive complaint with the State Tobacco Control Cell,” Cyril explained.

This is in accordance with the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003, which includes in its provisions: ‘Tobacco products cannot be sold to a person below the age of 18 years, and in places within a 100 metres radius from the outer boundary of an institution of education’. Although their focus is on schools at the moment, “The Act covers all educational institutions. So that means colleges and even tuition centres that provide signage are recognised establishments of study,” said Cyril, who has roped in assistance from his NGO Mary Anne Charity Trust.

How does it work?

• Download the app ‘Children Against Tobacco’
• Fill form with name of school, address, vendor name, type (tea shop, newsmart, provisional store)
• Once alerted, volunteers will gather info and photo evidence to lodge a plaint wi-th State Tobacco Control Cell

A volunteer said that over 40 city schools have been mapped so far, with plans to expand. “Next, we will start mapping vendors around schools in districts like Pudukottai, Tirunelveli, Tirupur and Dindigul,” she added. Plans are also afoot to sensitise school principals and train them to take action against perpetrators.

Source: The New Indian Express

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