AIZAWL, Nov 13 – With 67.2 per cent of the population of a little more than 10 lakh using tobacco, Mizoram holds the dubious distinction of the consuming State in the whole world.
The latest Global Adult Tobacco Survey(GATS) has revealed that 67.2 per cent of Mizoram population consume tobacco in smoke or smokeless form, Mizoram State Tobacco Control Society nodal officer Dr Jane Ralte said in a press conference here recently.
Dr Ralte said as per the survey conducted by GATS in 2009-2010, the estimated number of tobacco users in India is 274.9 million. With 57 per cent of its population consuming tobacco, Nagaland follows Mizoram in the list while Goa ranks the lowest at nine per cent.
As many as 72 per cent of Mizoram’s male population consume tobacco, against the national percentage of 47.9, the survey said. Meanwhile, 61.6 per cent of Mizoram’s female population also use tobacco against the national average of 20.3 per cent.
Dr Ralte said that the number of people using smokeless tobacco in Mizoram is 41 per cent while the number of people using smoke tobacco is 39.7 per cent. Daily cigarette smoker is recorded at 33.1 per cent, while daily hand-rolled cigarette smoker is recorded at 4.4 per cent.
Quoting GATS, Ralte said Mizoram has ranked second in number of daily cigarettes consumption after Meghalaya. She said that the number of adults exposed to second hand smoke in Mizoram is 96.5 per cent (at home), 64.6 per cent (work place) and 27.3 per cent (public place).
The monthly expenditure on cigarettes by smoker in Mizoram is Rs 718, while monthly expenditure on hand-rolled cigarettes is Rs 113.40, Dr Ralte said quoting the report.
She said that as per the survey, in Mizoram the number of smoker is high among teenagers aged 15-17. Quit rate of smoking is lowest in Mizoram among Indian States which is recorded at 2.2 per cent.
GATS is being conducted in different parts of India and measures are underway to conduct survey in all districts of Mizoram. Comprehensive study and survey on tobacco use will be conducted in urban and rural areas of Mizoram, she said.
Indian Society on Tobacco & Health Mizoram chapter president Lal Riliani said that awareness programme on the impact of tobacco use has little impact among teenagers and youth in Mizoram. She, however, pointed out that the awareness campaign on impact of tobacco launched by Indian Society on Tobacco & Health, Mizoram chapter has produced positive results.
Source: The Northeast Today