World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday that the state-level ban on sale of gutka has a positive impact as the reduction in the availability of product has led to a considerable decrease the consumption of gutka.
The WHO conducted its study in seven states - Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha and National Capital Region (NCR) - and found that 92 per cent respondents supported ban on sale of gutka. A total of 99 per cent said the ban was good for the health of Indian youth.
"These findings have a strong message that regulatory mechanisms are effective and can have a positive impact on the consumption pattern. The ban did impact use. Of the respondents who continue to use pre-packaged gutka, 49 per cent reported they consume less since the ban. There was high degree of unanimity among respondents (90 per cent) that the government should ban the manufacturing, sale and distribution of other forms of smokeless tobacco," WHO Representative to India Dr Nata Menabde said in a release here.
Director, Research and Strategic Planning at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Communications Programs, Dr Pradeep Krishnatray said most gutka users consume tobacco by mixing it with a packet of pan masala with zarda. "This innovation has adversely affected the very purpose and consequent impact of the ban," he added.
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