Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Goa is witnessing an alarming spike in tobacco consumption, with cases of smokeless tobacco use rising by 46% and smoking tobacco by 54% in just one year, according to data from the Goa Dental College and Hospital’s Tobacco Cessation Centre (TCC).
Figures reveal that smokeless tobacco chewers jumped from 914 in 2023 to 1,335 in 2024, while reported smoking tobacco users rose from 488 to 752 in the same period.
Till June 2025 alone, 662 new smokeless tobacco cases have already been recorded.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane attributed the trend partly to improved awareness and outreach but cautioned that the surge is a public health concern.
“We are integrating early cancer detection into cessation counselling, conducting street plays, film festivals, and school sensitization drives to curb tobacco use,” Rane said.
The state has also intensified workplace campaigns, law enforcement training, and targeted interventions for vulnerable groups. While e-cigarette use is not yet widespread in Goa, authorities are conducting sensitization programmes in schools and enforcing the nationwide ban on production, sale, and promotion of such devices.
Public health experts warn that if the trend is not reversed, the state could face a sharp rise in tobacco-related diseases, including oral cancers, in the coming years.
