Cigarettes Packages Lead to Health Risks

A recent test on gutkha packets by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revealed that most tobacco packets contain the banned toxic chemical magnesium carbonate, the quantity of which is as high as seven per cent. According to oncologists, magnesium carbonate can cause unusual health risks, which include stomach ulcers, irreparable damage to lining of oral cavity among others. Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, neck, and head cancer surgeon at Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) said, “Magnesium carbonate can cause numerous complications; these range from hypo-tension, nausea, vomiting, respiratory depression, loss of deep tendon reflex, dilated pupils, altered mental status, and coma. The fact that gutkha causes cancer is already a huge problem and a challenge for us to eradicate, but then the fact that the packet itself causes other complications only adds to our problems.” Magnesium carbonate is used to keep gutkha in the powdery form, in order to prevent it from getting soggy. However, several manufacturers have been prohibited from using the chemical due to its hazardous effects. The product has already been banned — effective from April 1, 2012 — in Madhya Pradesh. While NGOs and oncologists have been trying to ban the chemical in Maharashtra, no such step has been initiated yet. Devika Chadha, programme director of Salaam Bombay said, “We have been fighting to get all forms of tobacco banned for the past 10 years. With the FDA results, our case surely gets an impetus. We are in talks with the FDA and the ministry as well. We are to meet them again soon.”