Bhubaneswar: Odisha has reported 3,157 deaths because of oral cancer in the last one decade, health minister Mukesh Mahaling said this in the state assembly here on Monday. The share of oral cancer is the highest among all other types of cancer in the state. It is followed by breast, cervical, lung and gastrointestinal cancer. The state reports around 60,000 cancer cases every year.Mahaling said the use of ‘gutkha’ and other tobacco products is a major reason behind oral cancer. “Under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Control Act, 2003, public smoking and sale of tobacco to people below 18 years and within 100 yards of educational institutions have been prohibited. The state govt also issued a directive on Jan 21 to ban smokeless tobacco,” he said, adding in the last 10 years, a fine of Rs 8.34 crore had been collected from 62,542 violators.Odisha govt cited public health risks from the widespread use of smokeless tobacco with edible items such as pan masala, betel leaf, areca nut and slaked lime.According to the second round of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, more than 42% of Odisha’s adult population uses smokeless tobacco, nearly double the national average.A report by International Agency for Research on Cancer under World Health Organization said chewing tobacco products such as ‘zarda’, ‘khaini’, ‘gutkha’, and processed, scented or flavoured tobacco are classified as cancer-causing. It said these products can lead to dependence, severe oral health impairment, and are linked to cancers of the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, throat (pharynx and larynx) and kidney.
