Double standards of government on cancer prevention
Failure of the government in tackling the powerful tobacco lobby in the country is weakening the efforts of the government and the medical community to prevent cancer caused by tobacco consumption.
In India, in many issues, it is always the case of cops asking people to remain vigilant and alert, and at the same time they keeping mum on the activities of thieves. This is also true in case of the Government's efforts in checking the spread of deadly diseases such as cancer through tobacco consumption. But it is believed that that the government is under tremendous pressure from the powerful tobacco lobby for delaying the issue. It is worth mentioning that while recently speaking at an annual function of P.G..I , Chandigarh, Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad, while expressing concern over a WHO report projecting India to be cancer hub by 2020, announced a pilot scheme for cancer treatment by providing liberal assistance to one hundred hospitals across the county and Rs one lakh per patient grant for chemotherapy. Interestingly, government issues advertisements on television channels and newspapers, warning people about use of tobacco, and linking it to cancer. At the same time it delays the matter on warnings on tobacco products. Tobacco and related products are big industries in themselves, and they enjoy considerable clout in corridors of power. Last year, in May, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry notified that from December, 2010 all tobacco products will carry pictorial warnings depicting a cancer-stricken mouth to warn users about its consequences. New pictuers will carry warnings stating that tabacoo causes cancer. Presently pictorials warnings of a scorpion and damaged lungs are shown on tobacco products. It is believed that they are mild, and stronger messages, by carrying pictures of cancer-affected mouth, should be used on all tobacco products. But the powerful tobacco industry is putting pressure on the government for delaying the matter. Furthermore, several farmers growing tobacco have also objected to the move. In fact, major tobacco products manufacturing giants have even gone to the extent of threatening to close down the business on this issue. Health minister Gulam Nabi Azad has also gone on record saying that the issue is complicated, and the concern of all stakeholders, the farmers, retailers and companies will be taken into consideration before taking any final decision on the issue.
Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramanium has submited before the apex court that 86 percent cases of oral cancer in the world originate from India and of this ninety percent are on account of chewing tobacoo products.
union coal minister jaiswal has recently publically admitted that powerful lobby of gutkha and pan masala is preven ting its ban although they are causing cancer
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