Vdocument - in 653 Doctors of India
Vdocument - in 653 Doctors of India
To,
Respected Sir,
At the outset we would like to congratulate you for your message posted on the Facebook on
31st May 2014 - Let’s pledge to spread awareness on the risks of tobacco consumption & work
to reduce tobacco consumption in India. Tobacco not only affects those consuming it but also
people around. By saying no to tobacco, let us lay the foundation of a healthier India. This had
sent a very strong message to the public health community nationally and internationally.
However, a series of events subsequently has forced the public health community to believe
that the powerful tobacco lobby has over shadowed your personal commitment to make India
healthier. The latest such event being the recommendations of the Committee on Subordinate
Legislation to delay and dilute the notification for pictorial warning.
Hindu religion recognized harmful effects of any Vysana nearly 5000 years back. In Islam and
Sikhism also tobacco consumption is looked down upon. Plethora of medical evidence have
proven beyond doubt that tobacco is the only consumer product that has no good use except
causing disease, disability and death. These are some of the shocking facts against Tobacco -
Nearly 10 lac Indians die every year because of tobacco, revenue from tobacco is only 12% of
the loss from tobacco, nearly 50% cancers are attributable to tobacco, it is the number one
preventable cause of Non communicable diseases in India. WHO has classified tobacco
addiction as a disease. It is sad that 27.5 crore people (every third Indian adult) Indians are
suffering from an incurable disease called tobacco addiction. It is well known that tobacco kills
every third user prematurely through heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, Cancer etc. We are
committed to this important public health issue despite potential loss of our livelihood
subsequent to effective tobacco control.
India, under your leadership, is poised to become global leader in all spheres. However, we are
136th in the qualitative ranking of the Pictorial Warning on tobacco products. Large pictorial
warning on tobacco packets is the most cost effective strategy to prevent youngsters from
initiating the use and provokes current users to quit the habit. In a country where vast majority of
users are less literate, effective pictorial warning carries tremendous value. International
evidence has consistently shown that large pictorial warnings cuts down the tobacco
consumption rate effectively. The very reason that entire tobacco lobby is fighting tooth and nail
against the notification, proves that 85% Pictorial warnings are going to be extremely effective.
We, the doctors of India, would sincerely urge you to reject the recommendations of CoSL that
aims to promote tobacco industry rather than save innocent Indians from falling prey to this fatal
addiction. Effective pictorial warnings is all about awareness and it is being wrongfully equated
with ban on tobacco.
Please let the new set of Pictorial Warning be effective from 1st April 2016 and save millions of
innocent women from getting widowed and kids from getting orphaned.
Ashima Sarin
Director – Voice of Tobacco Victims on behalf of:
Support from prestigious Medical, Dental and Oncological societies
Indian Dental Association has 29 State
Branches,7 Union Territories, more than 450
Secretary, Indian Local branches and 1 Defence branch have
Dental a combined membership of over 75,000
1 Dr Ashok Dhoble Association Mumbai dedicated dental professionals.
Chairman,
National Cancer
Control
Committee, Indian
Medical IMA is an association of 2.5 lac medical
2 Dr Dilip Acharya Association Indore professionals of India
Director, AIIMS,
Jodhpur and
Secretary, Indian
Society of A national association of cancer specialists
3 Dr Sanjiv Mishra Oncology Jodhpur with membership strength of 1200
Director,
Oncology
Program, Max
Hospital Delhi
And President,
Indian association
of Surgical A prestigious association of cancer surgeons
4 Dr Harit Chaturvedi Oncologists. Delhi of India with nearly 800 members
HOD, ENT
department, KEM
Hospital, Mumbai
And President of
Foundation of
Head and Neck As association of head neck oncologists of
5 Dr JP Dabholkar Oncology Mumbai India with nearly 1000 members
Prof and Surgeon
at Tata Memorial
Hospital.
Founder of Voice
of Tobacco A voluntary group of 300 doctors and nearly
6 Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi Victims Campaign Mumbai 600 cancer survivors.
Madhya Pradesh
Medical Officers An association of 3500 government doctors
7 Dr Lalit Shrivastava Association, MP Bhopal of Madhya pradesh