Gutka ban useful, says WHO: but it is available to even toddlers in India - Northern Voices Online

Gutka ban useful, says WHO: but it is available to even toddlers in India

Though gutka is still easily available across the country, but even halfhearted actions being taken by government is banning gutka in some places is looking like very beneficial.

Now even World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the actions taken by the government of India and other state governments across the country seem to have an impact on the consumption of the harmful substance. It has said that the consumption of gutka has come down across the country substantially.

Despite the great words from the World Health Organizations it is a fact that gutka is still very easily available across the country. No one actually asks your age even if the buyer is a ten or nine year old kid who is buying it for his father or some other grown up relatives or for himself/ herself.



A latest study that was recently conducted by the WHO across the country found that as many as 92 percent respondents wanted the ban on sale of gutka. As many as 99 per cent respondents said that gutka ban will be very good for the health of the people in the country.

This survey is going to be of help for the government. Dr Nata Menabde of WHO in a statement said, “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 percent reported they consume less since the ban. There was high degree of unanimity among respondents (90 percent) that the government should ban the manufacturing, sale and distribution of other forms of smokeless tobacco…This innovation has adversely affected the very purpose and consequent impact of the ban”.

But despite the ban on the sale of gutka in many places, the reality is very different. It is freey available across the nation and even a five year old boy or girl will be able to buy gutka from any store throughout the nation.

Shortlink:

Posted by admin on December 17, 2014. Filed under Featured, Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry