The Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had recently spoken about the alarming rise in the number of lung and oral cancer cases related to tobacco use, especially among those who chew tobacco.
"As there is high prevalence of smokeless tobacco use in the country and the consumption is more among the lower socio-economic class with low levels of literacy, it is hoped that strong pictorial warnings will definitely dissuade tobacco users from consuming tobacco products", Azad said.
It is estimated that more than nine lakh people die every year due to tobacco related diseases while over a quarter of billion people across the country use various forms of tobacco products.
Source: Medindia
