Alcohol, tobacco consumption among males above 15 on rise in Ludhiana district

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, April 30

In what appears to be a matter of concern, the consumption of alcohol and tobacco among males aged above 15 years is on the rise in the district, a national survey has revealed.

However, the average of women above 15 years of age consuming alcohol and using tobacco is comparatively much lower than their male counterparts in Ludhiana, but more than the state average.

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), conducted by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, has showed that 20.8 per cent males aged 15 years and above consume alcohol while 13.5 per cent of them use any kind of tobacco.

While the alcohol consumption ratio in the state’s biggest and largest district, in terms of area and population, was bit less than the state average of 22.8 per cent, the tobacco consumers were more in Ludhiana than 12.9 per cent such users found in Punjab.

The current survey, fifth in the NFHS series, which provides information on population, health and nutrition for India and each state and Union Territory, with district-level estimates for many important indicators, a copy of which is with The Tribune, indicated that only 0.3 per cent females aged 15 years and above consume alcohol while 0.5 per cent use any kind of tobacco in the district.

In this case, the average alcohol consumers in Ludhiana were at par with 0.3 per cent such consumers in Punjab while the tobacco consuming women in the district were slightly more than the state’s average of 0.4 per cent.

Surprisingly, more girl students than boys, in the age group of 13 to 15 years, use and smoke tobacco in Punjab, the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4), a component of the Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS), has earlier revealed.

Also, majority of students using and smoking tobacco in the state were from the rural areas, the GYTS-4, a global standard for systematically monitoring youth tobacco use (smoking and smokeless) and tracking key tobacco control indicators, conducted by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has found.

According to the survey report, 5.7 per cent students, including six per cent girls and 5.4 per cent boys, currently used any tobacco products while 5.3 per cent students, comprising 5.8 per cent girls and 4.8 per cent boys, currently smoked tobacco in the state.

Of the total tobacco user students, 6.8 per cent were from rural areas and three per cent were urbanites. Similarly, the tobacco smokers comprised 6.6 per cent ruralites and 2.2 per cent were from the urban areas.

However, when it came to smoking cigarettes, 3.6 per cent students were among smokers, of which 3.9 per cent were boys and 3.2 per cent were girls. These comprised 4.7 per cent from the rural areas and 0.8 per cent urbanites. The students, who currently smoked ‘bidi’, were 2.9 per cent, of which 3.5 per cent were boys and 2.3 per cent were girls. These included 3.9 per cent ruralites and 0.7 per cent from urban areas.

But when it came to currently using smokeless tobacco, the girl students again outnumbered the boys. Of the total 1.4 per cent such smokers, 1.4 per cent were girls and 1.3 per cent boys. These comprised 1.5 per cent from rural areas and 0.9 per cent urbanites.

The students, who ever used tobacco, were 12.3 per cent, of which 12.9 per cent were boys, 11.7 per cent girls, 13.9 per cent ruralites and 8.5 per cent from urban areas.

Similarly, of the 8.2 per cent ever tobacco smoker students, 8.4 per cent were boys and 7.9 per cent girls, of which 9.2 per cent were from rural areas and 5.6 per cent urbanites.

The number of ever cigarette user students was 4.8 per cent, of which 5.1 per cent were boys, 4.4 per cent girls, 6.2 per cent ruralites and 1.3 per cent were from urban areas.

Of the total 3.7 per cent ever ‘bidi’ user students, 4.5 per cent were boys, 2,8 per cent girls, 4.8 per cent were from rural areas and 1 per cent were urbanites.

The smokeless tobacco user students were 7.2 per cent, of which eight per cent were boys, 6.2 per cent girls, 8.7 per cent were ruralites and 3.6 per cent were from urban areas.

Another category in which the girls outnumbered boy students was those, who ever used ‘paan masala’ together with tobacco. Of the total 1.6 per cent such users, 2.5 per cent were girls, 0.9 per cent boys, two per cent were from the rural areas and 0.9 per cent were urbanites.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.