The Times Now Doctors Day Conclave brought together top medical professionals to commemorate Doctors’ Day and tackle India’s pressing health issues, including the devastating impact of tobacco use. While existing policies aim to curb tobacco consumption, the human and economic cost remains significant.
Dr. Sequeira, a prominent public health expert, emphasized the need to differentiate between nicotine and tobacco. He argued that while nicotine is addictive, it is not directly responsible for the cancer, lung, and heart diseases that kill millions of Indians annually. Instead, other chemical compounds in tobacco and the smoke from burning tobacco contribute to these illnesses and deaths.
The current national tobacco control policies in India have not yielded desired results, resulting in millions of deaths annually due to tobacco-related diseases. The panel discussion on “India needs a new and comprehensive approach to combating addiction led NCDs” at the Conclave highlighted the urgent need for a fresh and comprehensive approach to combat addiction-driven NCDs, particularly the root cause – nicotine addiction. Yugal Sikri, Vice Chairperson & Managing Director of RPG Life Sciences, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “Addressing non-communicable diseases is not just important but critical, demanding a fresh and comprehensive approach to combat addiction driven NCDs. The rise of these NCDs linked to addiction is alarming, with tobacco alone responsible for one in six NCD-related deaths.”