Illiteracy, ignorance spur tobacco consumption

TANAHU: Illiteracy, compounded by lack of awareness, is the major cause for the increasing consumption of tobacco products in the country, experts said today.

Speaking at an interaction that was organised by the district network for health rights and control of tobacco here in Damauli, various stakeholders unanimously agreed that intensifying awareness campaign over the health hazards was the only way out to motivate people not to consume the same.

According to the organisation, illiterate and poor people, in comparison with educated and well-off, were found consuming larger quantity of tobacco.

Parshuram Giri, president of Tanahun chapter of Nepal Red Cross Society, said that the government should come up with programmes to control the excessive consumption of tobacco products.