Kathmandu, May 30

The number of female smokers is higher in Nepal compared to other countries, especially from hilly and Himalayan regions. The trend has picked up in the form of a fad in the urban areas.
Around 15,000 people die in Nepal every year due to consumption of tobacco related products. Out of the total population, 49 per cent smokers are males and 29 per cent females. Tobacco related deaths have been put at six million globally, World Health Organisation report said. Every day 11000 people die in the world due to tobacco related abnormalities. 
With the aim to sensitize smoking and create awareness among the people, world marks May 31st as anti-smoking day every year. The day is being marked Saturday with the theme, “Smoking free Youths,” across the globe.
Talking to The Rising Nepal first vice-president of Nepal Cancer Relief Society (NCRS) Ishwor Shrestha said there are 4000 kinds of chemicals in tobacco and they cause 25 kinds of diseases. He said that diseases related to the lung, mouth, throat and uterus cancer, baldness, cataract, asthma, weakness, infections of the mouth cavity, weak bone, heart problem and stomach ulcer.
Anti-smoking Day
The country adopted Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2003 but still it has not been implemented, Shrestha said. He said, “We are appealing to ban smoking in public places, restaurants and bars, make 18 years as the legal age for buying tobacco, ban the advertisement of tobacco on televisions and newspapers and not to keep hoarding boards. But the government has kept mum so far.”
“We have been demanding that the cigarette packets have extensive statutory warning. he said. He said that the NCRS’s mission was to make Nepal a tobacco free country by 2020.
Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population Dr. Bishnu Prasad Pandit said that the government has given priority to drafting law related to FCTC and it would be implemented gradually. He said that the parliament endorsed the FCTC in 2006.
Dr. Sudip Shrestha, cancer specialist and medical oncologist at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital said most of the people start smoking during their adolescent period in the world and the trend was similar in Nepal. “In our country people from the hilly and himilayan region smoke more due to lack of awareness and they accept that as their culture,” he said. Since the last few years smoking has been increasing in the urban areas as a fashion, he said.
Dr. Shrestha said that the nicotine in tobacco causes gradual addiction. If anyone tries to quit smoking without any preparations, it causes physical symptoms like palpitation, restlessness and insomnia.
“People should develop confidence and strong will power to quit smoking and they should make certain preparations,” Dr. Shrestha said. Smoking has adverse impact on non-smokers and they are referred to as passive smokers, so until the FCTC is fully implemented we won’t be able to save those types of smokers, he said.