Even as the World No Tobacco Day was observed on Wednesday with a message to make the society tobacco-free and promote a healthy life, the sale of tobacco is rampant in Odisha due to lapses in enforcement of laws.

According to a survey report, approximately 60 lakh people die due to consumption of tobacco products across the globe every year. The number of casualties due to tobacco consumption is also recorded high in India, which is known as the capital of mouth cancer in the world.

In Odisha, the percentage of tobacco consumers has also been recorded high even after ban on sale of tobacco products in markets.

As per a survey report 2015-16 by the National Family Health, the percentages of male and female consumers in rural part were 45.3 and 10 respectively, while in the urban area, percentage of male consumers was 58.8 and that of female 18.9.

On the other hand, while 43.7 per cent male and 23.7 per cent female addicted to tobacco chewing, wanted to quit tobacco consumption in urban areas, 33.2 per cent male and 16.8 per cent female were found to give up the tobacco consumption habit in villages in Odisha in past one year during the survey.

The survey was conducted on tobacco consumers at the age between 15 and 49 years.

The survey report shows a horrible picture of Odisha in terms of tobacco product consumption. While 35-36 per cent consumers were found in India, Odisha has higher percentage 46.

Approximately, 2,500 people become the victims of tobacco consumption every day in Odisha. The number of casualties due to tobacco consumption is higher than the death reported due to HIV/ AIDS.

In view of the number of deaths that occurs due to tobacco consumption across the world, the Odisha Government in 2013 had issued a ban order on sale of tobacco products in the shops and markets. Even after four years of the directive prohibiting such sale, the ban has remained on pen and paper only. The rampant violation of anti-tobacco law is found everywhere and every minute in the State.

The tobacco products like pan masala are being sold everywhere right from the areas of educational institutions to hospitals. As per Section 6 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act or COTPA 2003, no person shall sell, offer for sale or permit sale of cigarettes or any other tobacco products to any person who is under eighteen years of age, and no person shall sell, offer for sale or permit sale of, cigarettes or any other tobacco product in an area within a radius of 100 yards of any educational institution. However, the law appears to be defunct. As the raids are not conducted continuously on the shops selling the banned tobacco products, the sale is on the rise and the Government is bearing Rs 300 crore loss in revenue, said a member of an anti-liquor organisation.