Kathmandu, May 12:

To press the present government to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), National Pressure Group Against Tobacco (NPGAT), has been formed under the coordination of Diwakar Raj Karnikar, president of the Nepal Cancer Relief Society.

It has representation from various organisations, namely Nepal TB Relief Society, Nepal Heart Foundation, Consumer Forum, HEJAN, National Forum against Tobacco Use along with others are members, according to a press release issued here today by NPGAT.

According to the Nepal Cancer Relief Society (NCRS), total of 25 different diseases are caused due to tobacco consumption. Smoking is the major cause of liver, mouth and throat cancer along with heart disease, tuberculosis and asthma. According to specialists, there are 4,000 harmful chemicals in tobacco including tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide.

According to WHO, 85 per cent of liver cancer is caused due to smoking. A total of 50 lakh people die each year globally while in Nepal 15,000 people die each year due to smoking.