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EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, September 10: At least one crore persons annually die of tobacco related health problems all over the world, and by the year 2020, the figure is likely to jump ten fold.
If that sounds catastrophic, the experts say, there is much more to tobacco abuse than mere statistics on death and disaster. At least 30 per cent of the cancers are directly caused due to tobacco and therefore, are totally preventable.
At a workshop on the drug abuse prevention here today, experts said though the continued sale of addictive tobacco is driven by economic interests, the fact is that the government is spending on the health exigencies arising out of tobacco consumption at least four times of its annual revenue of Rs 12,000 crore from it.
The unique workshop on the progress made by the NGO ``Upchaar'' in their crusade against drug abuse, was organised by the Rotary Clubs. Kiran Bedi, in her address, called upon the community leaders to strengthen the existing efforts in drug abuse prevention and the counselling and rehabilitation of the victims. Delhi Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, in his address, said the responsibility of saving the youth from the self-destructive addictions rested with the families rather than the counselling centres, doctors or the NGOs.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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