Second hand smoking impacts the most vulnerable in family, needs to be regulated: Experts
Hyderabad: Voluntary health organisations, public health advocates and doctors have called for strengthening of laws under Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) to protect non-smokers from health and economic impact of secondhand smoking.
Responding to a recent study by researchers from Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (RCSS), Kochi, which was published in Journal of Nicotine and Tobacco Research, experts said that second hand smoking impacts the most vulnerable in the family including women and children.
The RCSS study said that secondhand smoke causes Rs 567 billion in healthcare costs annually, which accounts for 8 per cent of total annual healthcare expenditures on top of Rs 1773.4 billion in annual economic burden from tobacco use, a press release from Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), said.
“The findings demonstrate the terrible economic toll that secondhand smoke takes on both the Indian healthcare system and the secondhand smoke exposed non-smokers.Action must be taken to reduce the health and economic impact of secondhand smoke in India,” Dr Rijo John, adjunct professor, RCSS, author of the study, said.
Dr K Sreekanth, senior oncology surgeon, Yashoda Hospitals, said that the country can save millions of lives and reduce the overwhelming burden through stronger tobacco control policies. Strengthening the COTPA is vital”.
State Project Manager, VHAI, Dr Venkat Rao said that there was an urgent need to strengthen the provisions for making India 100 percent smoke free and protect millions of Indians from tobacco related diseases and deaths.
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