Kids as young as 11 consuming smokeless tobacco in Capital

SMOKE LESS TOBACCO CONSUMPtion among children in Delhi is being initiate data very early age — asyoungas11— throughproducts such as pan masala which they mostly get from grocery stores, according to an observational study conducted by researchers of Maulana Azad Medical college( mamc)andt he National Institute of Health & Family Welfare, Program Advisory committee.

The study was conducted at three Delhi schools, where a total of 714 students from Class IX to xii were enrolled and were observed foray ear.

One of the major findings was thataround11% ofstudentswere consuming smokeless tobacco. While schools in Delhi are tobacco-free zones, the major focus on prevention is around smoking and not around smokeless tobacco which makes it easier to access and consume.

According to Dr Akash Deep

Sharma, Senior Resident, Department of Community Medicineatmamc, andtheprincipal investigator of the study, children consumed smoke less tobacco at a frequency of 6-9 days in a period of one month and a majority of students initiated the use intheagegroupof 10-11years.

“Among different smokeless tobacco products, pan masala combined with zarda was found tobe the most commonly consumed. Che wing was observed as the main form of consumption,” said Dr Akash Deep, adding that another observation was a lot of students had this mis conception that smokeless tobacco was not as dangerous as smoking.

Dr Akash said they also mapped the area of 1 km around each school to locate the point of sale of tobacco — grocery stores, pan shops, stationery carts etc.

“... We approached sellers for interviews, who replied that smokeless tobacco was the most commonly sold tobacco product to minors, out of which pan masala with zarda (earlier known as gutka) and khaini were the most common smokeless tobacco products, followed by cigarettes, bidis.” He added that such alarming results in terms of low age of initiation in delhi is an emerging health problem and adequate cessation programmes and schemes must be developed to ensure youth are tobacco-free.

Dr aka sh said ,“the current situation warrants focus sing more on the pathways of initiation. The reducing age of initiation of smoke less tobacco consumption has to be taken care of appropriately with immediate action .”