‘8 lakh people die in India due to tobacco related diseases’

Vijayawada: Over 35 doctors of 1958 batch of the Guntur Government Medical College from various parts of India and abroad participated in the three-day Diamond Jubilee celebrations and reunion started on Friday at Beram Park Resort. 

Addressing the media here on Saturday, CMK Reddy of Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, expressed his delight to be a part of the reunion celebrations. 

He said that according to WHO records, eight lakh people die every year in India due to tobacco related diseases and in an hour 100 people die due to tobacco-related diseases. 

He said 55,000 school children were getting addicted to tobacco consumption every year. 

That should be restricted by 2025 otherwise most of the deaths India would be due to tobacco related diseases, he said. 

To overcome the usage of tobacco, there were a few anti-nicotine patches, chewing gums and others available which would slowly reduce the usage of tobacco, he said.