*Tobacco-related cancer itself contributes to 40 - 50 per cent of cases in India

*1, 60,000 approx. people develop cancer each year as a result of tobacco consumption

This year the theme for World Cancer Day on February 4 is Smoke-free childhood. Keeping in tandem with the theme, studies show that the majority of tobacco users start smoking during their teens thus acquiring a persuasive and unhealthy habit. In India alone, 5500 youths succumb to tobacco addiction each day thus making it a source of growing concern not only for the government but also for social organizations working for human welfare. The cause for concern is the high health risk related to long-term tobacco usage.

Tobacco is the most important identified cause of cancer and is responsible for 40 to 50 per cent of cancer in men and 20 per cent of cancer in women. As per WHO studies, the total mortality (males and females) due to cancer in India is estimated to reach 6, 66,563 by 2015 — the facts are appalling but true. “Children are the worst sufferers from exposure to tobacco smoke. They suffer from disease as kids and are at an increased risk of cancer when they reach adulthood. We need smoke-free adulthood to prevent cancer and other diseases and even more a smoke-free childhood because children cannot protect themselves,” said Dr. P. C. Gupta, Director, Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health

While the tobacco use increases rapidly, studies indicate that by the year 2025, the overall increase in tobacco-related cancer deaths is expected to be 220 per cent when compared to those caused by other diseases. Studies conducted by WHO have stated that lack of awareness regarding the health hazards of tobacco are the main factors leading to increasing inclination amongst youth towards smoking.

Most of the youths are exposed to tobacco smoke at an early age due to a family member who smokes. In fact 35 per cent of the cases have one or more parents who smoke thus conditioning their mind towards a casual attitude towards it. 6.1per cent may feel encouraged to smoke as they are in company of friends who smoke. Besides these, tobacco advertisements on billboards and smoking in movies are the other influences. Data shows that smoking prevalence amongst youths in 2000 was 4.8 per cent, which catapulted up to 15.9 per cent in 2006.

However many of these young people are not aware that in India, the principle impact of tobacco smoking is seen in higher incidence in cancers of the lung, larynx, esophagus, pancreas and bladder and of tobacco chewing in the form of one of the highest incidence in the world of oral and pharyngeal cancers.

On the occasion of World Cancer Day, the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) and sanofi-aventis are taking stock of their programme ‘My child matters’ launched in 2004 to improve the fight against childhood cancers in the countries where paediatric oncology is just emerging.

The ‘My child matters’ programme encourages the institutions (hospitals, foundations, NGOs, and others to put pragmatic programmes in place to contribute in improving information, early diagnosis, access to care and treatment, the management of pain and a better way of handling the social welfare aspects of cancer for the benefit of both the young patients and their families.