An oral cancer survivor, Balan said urgent intervention is needed to control the sale and consumption of tobacco. (AFP Photo)
Within two years of a new alcohol police in Kerala - which allows only 5-stars and govt outlets to sell hard liquor - doctors have demanded a crackdown on tobacco products.
Claiming that 40% of cancers in Kerala are tobacco related, a group of leading doctors from various hospitals and health sector have appealed to political parties to include tobacco control measures in their manifestos ahead of the coming assembly elections in the state.
"40,000 of the deaths annually in Kerala are linked to tobacco, 40% cancer is tobacco related. This situation required urgent intervention from political parties," said Dr KR Thankappan of Achuthamenon Centre For Health Science Studies.
A whopping 28 per cent of people in Kerala, are tobacco users - the figure is 4 per cent over the national average.
But it is not doctors alone who are appealing to politicians. In their ranks are cancer survivors like Balan N, 56.
An oral cancer survivor, Balan said urgent intervention is needed to control the sale and consumption of tobacco. "Even small children are consuming tobacco products," he added.
Balan had to go through repetitive radiation therapy and surgeries at the Regional cancer Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. Formerly a daily wage labourer, he doesn't have the strength to return to work today.
Kerala banned smokeless tobacco - like gutkha -- in 2012, but users get their supplies from discreet, small, makeshift outlets spanning the state.
"India is a signatory to the World Health Organisation and United Nations goals, of eliminating occurrences of tobacco related diseases by 2030. If this has to be realised, political parties have to start their action immediately," said Dr Thankappan.
Political parties, however, claim that they are strongly committed to the cause.
"Tobacco control is a strong part of our manifesto," state Congress chief VM Sudheeran told NDTV. "We as a party and a government are focusing on eradication of alcoholism and tobacco usage from the society. We are committed."
"It is not only about tobacco. We are also focusing on drug abuse among students in our manifesto," said CPI state secretary Kanan Rajendran.