Why smokeless tobacco control needs to be strengthened?

• Main Authors: Ravi Mehrotra MD, D.Phil, Nalini Kaushik MD, Ravi Kaushik MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2020-03-01
• Series: Cancer Control
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/1073274820914659

Tobacco menace is responsible for significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. Smokeless tobacco (SLT) is consumed in more than 140 countries, thus is emerging as a global problem. Several adverse health outcomes like oropharyngeal, oesophageal, and pancreatic cancers; oral potentially malignant lesions; diabetes mellitus; cardiovascular diseases; mental illness; osteopenia; low birth weight; preterm births; small for gestation age babies; and stillbirths are attributed to SLT usage. Smokeless tobacco products vary greatly in types, constituents, packaging, forms, addiction, and harm potential, and thus are challenging to study and control. Involvement of both formal and informal sector in SLT production and sales further add to the complexities. The problem of SLT is usually understated and less researched upon. This paper summarizes the existing knowledge and provides evidence to strengthen the case against the SLT, stressing on the need to enhance the SLT control across the globe.