In New Delhi on Oct. 7, scientists called on India to redesign tobacco labels so they can better warn people about mouth cancer, a disease that is climbing fast across the country.
India already has laws that regulate the sale of tobacco, a national tobacco‑control program, and a screening plan for oral cancer, yet the country still records the world’s highest number of new cases – over 135,000 every year. Despite being largely preventable, India accounts for about a third of all global oral‑cancer cases, according to GLOBOCAN 2020 and the National Cancer Registry.
Parth Sharma from Maulana Azad Medical College told that the most powerful tool to curb the problem is the warning sign on every tobacco package. “We need smarter, sharper messages that stop people from starting to use tobacco in the first place and help those who already use it quit,” he said.
Sharma and colleagues ran a cross‑sectional study from August 2023 to June 2024 with 116 adults who had been diagnosed with oral cancer. Their findings highlighted serious gaps in what patients knew about the disease and how to prevent it.
Key findings:
- Tobacco use patterns – 54% of participants used smokeless tobacco, 10% smoked cigarettes and 28% used both regularly.
- Daily use common – More than half used tobacco every day, and only 52% quit after their diagnosis.
- Awareness sources – Two‑thirds of patients linked tobacco to oral cancer, mainly because of the label (48%) and anti‑tobacco ads (36%).
- Missed early warning – No one knew the early symptoms or how to do a self‑check, and less than 8% were aware of the laws that ban harmful tobacco practices.
- Education matters – Those who were literate, saw the warning marks, and felt fear from the labels were more likely to understand if tobacco could cause cancer.
The research team urges health workers to step up and spread clear, direct messages about tobacco’s dangers. They also say targeted awareness campaigns and easier access to screening could cut the growing number of oral‑cancer cases.
In short, better warnings on tobacco products, coupled with strong public‑health outreach, could save countless mouths from cancer in India.
Source: ianslive
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