Tobacco Deaths in India May Exceed 1.5 Million by 2020

Source from:  India Tribune 03/14/2013

Palatal cancer is very common in North Andhra districts due to reverse smoking. Tribal pockets of Srikakulam, Viziana-garam and Visakhapatnam districts have been recently experiencing huge tobacco-related ailments.

According to studies conducted by the Tata Institute   of Fundamental Research and researchers from department of Sucre of University of Antioquia, Columbia, 43.8 percent of tobacco users were found to be reverse smokers in  Srikakulam.
 
The incidence of oral cancer of the palate was 40-50 percent, in reverse smoking in North Andhra  districts. Palate cancer is a malignant abnormal growth of cells on the roof of the mouth and use of tobacco and alcohol are risk factors for cancer of the soft palate, according to Dr. B. Sasidhar Kumar, the District TB Control Officer.