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India in grip of smoking epidemic: survey
Published on Fri, Feb 15, 2008 at 11:28 in 
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RISKY PUFF: By 2010 there will be one million people dying every year due to smoking alone, says a survey.
New Delhi: If you are a tobacco freak—it is time to pause and think.
A recent survey says that just in two years there would be one million people dying only due to smoking every year.
India in fact, is in the grip of a smoking epidemic, says a survey conducted by the Centre for Global Health and Research, the Toronto University and the governments of India and United Kingdom.
The survey covering 11 lakh homes across the country is the most exhaustive till date and the results are frightening.
According to the study, by 2010 there would be one million people dying every year because of smoking alone with 70 per cent of the victims being between the ages of 30 to 69.
The study says men are at a greater risk, with one out of every five male adult or 20 per cent dying of smoking, while five percent of women would die of similar diseases.
“The situation quite alarming. The sample size is quite big and is before the government,” says, researcher, CGHR, Prashant Jha.
Not only that; cigarette smokers, both men and women, lose 10 years of their life. And men and women smoking beedis lose six and eight years of their lives respectively.
Smoking in public places was banned in 2004, but the law remains on paper.
People smoke regardless of the rules, at bus stands, in restaurants and even at hospitals.
“The enforcement of laws is nil and in some states even officers have not been notified,” says legal expert on tobacco, Priyanka Dahia.
Despite the act only two per cent of people have quit smoking that is abysmal as compared to China where 15 per cent people have quit.
However, now it would be interesting to note how the government proceeds with pictorial warnings.
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pictorial warnings aren't going to cause addicts to stop and think before lighting up again, and nor are surveys of
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