Gutka is a chewing tobacco made of crushed areca nut, tobacco, catechu (an acacia extract), paraffin wax, slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), and sweet or savoury flavourings.
Advertisements of brands such as Vimal, Pan Bahar, Raj Niwas, Baba, Shikhar, etc, are common in sports arenas, placed strategically to catch the focus of television cameras.
Surrogate advertising is a practice where a brand promotes a different product or service as a means to indirectly promote a product that may be banned or restricted by law.
Lip and oral cavity cancer ranks second — behind breast cancer — among prevalent cancers in India. In 2022 alone, 1,43,759 cases and 79,979 deaths were reported.
“Individuals might tend to neglect these early signs, allowing the lesions to grow. If not addressed, these ulcers can develop into more severe conditions,” shares Dr L Rohit Reddy.
Dr Vaidhyswaran added that in the present scenario, placing a pan or gutka under the lip can lead to lip cancer also known as Gingival cancers, especially in the lower gingiva (gums).
“It can lead to a false sense of well-being, euphoria, tolerance to hunger, and increased capacity and stamina to work,” Dr Rajesh Sharma, Health Economist.