Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Online published on 23 November, 2012.
Tobacco is the most important preventable cause of disease and death. The major tobacco control program includes creating awareness, reduction in tobacco production, banning of tobacco use in public places and control of tobacco distribution system.
To know tobacco products distributors’ “Knowledge, Attitude and Practice” (KAP) on tobacco control regulations and their tobacco consumption habits.
A survey to assess the KAP on tobacco control program among tobacco product sellers around Mangalore which is a city in Dakshina Kannada district of southern state Karnataka, was conducted.
A questionnaire survey was conducted among the 100 randomly selected retail tobacco sellers near to educational institutes in Mangalore. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS software, version 15.0. Descriptive statistics were used.
Result indicated that 20% were aware of packaging and labeling rules of tobacco, 25% were partially aware and 55% were totally unaware of rules and that 93% participants were indulged in tobacco use.
Our present study suggests that most of the shopkeepers are unaware of the Govt. policy on tobacco & its consequences. Lack of information about ill effects of tobacco consumption and dependence over tobacco as a part of daily life routine are among the major drawbacks of tobacco control program among customers or distributors of tobacco.
Tobacco, Tobacco Sellers, Habits, Regulations
