30 May,2011 08:46 AM IST | | Amit Kumar
An oral cancer patient has written to the PM, president and UPA chairperson, asking for a blanket ban on tobacco products
Instead of changing the pictorial warnings on tobacco products, victims want the government to see the bigger picture. "Only putting gory pictorial warnings like that of rotting mouths, hanging gums and infected lungs on cigarette, bidi, cigar and smokeless or chewing tobacco packets won't serve the entire purpose. The government should ban the production and sale of tobacco products completely," said Rahul Bhardwaj, a 35-year-old youth, suffering from advanced oral cancer.
Case in point: (Left) Rahul Bhardwaj, an oral cancer patient and
Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, who treated him. PICs/Imtiyaz Khan
Letter and spirit
Rahul has written an open letter to several VVIPs including the president, prime minister, health minister and UPA chairperson. "I cannot bear the sight of this killer product being sold every 10 metres, especially near schools. I get very disturbed, when I see others, especially teens chewing it. We all know tobacco kills half of its consumers prematurely. We all do not want our children and beloved to use this product. We all know there is no use whatsoever of tobacco except deaths and disability. Why do we still continue to allow this industry a legal status? Is it justified to allow the killing 1 million Indians (mainly young) every year for earning a few thousand crores?" Rahul wrote in his letter to dignitaries on the eve of World No Tobacco Day.
Rahul's life completely changed four months ago, when he was diagnosed with an advanced form of mouth cancer, brought about because of his habit of chewing gutka. He has had toxic chemotherapy, deforming surgery and painful radiotherapy. "Rahul Bhardwaj was suffering from advanced mouth cancer. His surgery involved removal of the entire upper jaw and a small part of the lower jaw. The surgery lasted 12 hours and despite all kinds of toxic treatment we cannot guarantee that he will live another five years," said Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Associate Professor, Head and Neck department, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, who operated on Rahul.
Starting young
"Unfortunately for most cancer patients in India, they come to us when they are in their last stages and many of them are young. This happens because most of the people start chewing and consuming tobacco products while in school," Dr Chaturvedi told MiD DAY. 34-year-old Sachin Goel, another victim said, "I got cancer within a month of my marriage. My life is ruined. I have trouble speaking, have to live with a disfigurement, can't open my mouth, and have lost my business. I have decided to devote my life to finish this menace." Sachin was reported with advanced mouth cancer within one year of his marriage. He underwent a difficult 10-hour surgery for the removal of the left side of his lower jaw.
Following surgery, he underwent four months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy which causes baldness and a big sore spot in the mouth. His skin turned ugly due to the toxicity of the chemicals used in the treatment for almost six months. He had trouble having water let alone food. His married life seemed in trouble, but his wife agreed to support him. Three years later Sachin cannot open his mouth for more than 2 cm, cannot speak properly, eat normal food and because of the disfigurement cannot go back to his job. Recently, he developed pantriatitis, a very painful infection to the abdomen because of tobacco. Sachin has a suggestion that the gory pictures should be put up at all the shops, where people go to buy tobacco products.
9 lakh
People die in India annually due to tobacco-related diseases
Photo finish
Gory pictorial warnings like that of rotting mouths, hanging gums and infected lungs, will appear on cigarette, bidi, cigar and smokeless or chewing tobacco packets from December 1. The Union health ministry issued the notification on Saturday after years of buckling to resistance from the all-powerful tobacco lobby. The latest notification contains a set of four pictures each of lung and oral cancer. The warnings, which will be rotated every twAo years, are aimed at discouraging people from consuming tobacco. Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad gave his nod to the new pictorial warnings on Friday night.
