Topic started by Hemant (@ 203.195.208.26) on Sun Apr 13 01:13:31 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I have been a witness to deadly habit of Guthka spreading like wild fire in India and of late in South India. Having seen four deaths in the family and three more of the relations in line standing at the deadly cancer, I am bringing this report from Pakistan which gives a result of Indian Guthka also.please send this to your friends also.!!

Responses:

• From: Hemant (@ 203.195.208.26) on: Sun Apr 13 01:14:20 EDT 2003
  
  Saunf-supari contains addictive substances=20
  http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/06/nat15.htm
  
  
  KARACHI, Nov 5: Concern has been voiced about reported presence of =
  addictive substances in some brands of saunf supari.=20
  
  The presence of addictive substances in chhalia, gutka and saunf supari =
  was established when 36 different samples of saunf supari of Pakistan =
  and Indian origin were analyzed at the Chemistry Department of Karachi =
  University for possible narcotic contamination.=20
  
  These samples mainly consisted of aniseed, supari, chocolate-coated =
  nuts, sugar-coated aniseed, dry fruits, gutka etc.=20
  
  Few of these samples contained tobacco, colouring and flavouring agents. =
  
  
  The samples were carefully extracted with de-ionized water and distilled =
  methanol separately.=20
  
  Nineteen samples extracted with methanol and 10 samples extracted with =
  water gave a positive identification of diacetyl morphine. Nine samples =
  had low heroin content which could not be extracted with water.=20
  
  Heroin was detected and identified with positive Frohde's test, positive =
  Dragendorff's test, TCLC and confirmed by UV absorption at 278-280nm and =
  matching with reference standard.=20
  
  The diacetyl morphone present in these samples had also been =
  quantitated. Sixteen samples extracted with water also developed fungal =
  growth within 48 hours, which shows poor hygienic conditions during the =
  packing of these materials.=20
  
  The need to carry out this analysis arose when in an attempt to stop the =
  use of unfair means in examinations, a physical search of about 18,000 =
  students was carried out, who appeared in various examinations, =
  conducted by Karachi University during 1997.=20
  
  During this search it was observed that most (about 25-28 per cent) of =
  these students were chewing saunf supari or similar materials. It was =
  also observed that these students were chewing only particular brands.=20
  
  It was inferred from these observations that these so-called saunf =
  supari samples might contain certain addiction causing substances. When =
  some such students were interviewed for their habit, they accepted that =
  these materials, when chewed once, the person felt like taking another.=20
  
  >From these evidences it was though worth studying the narcotic contents =
  in these samples.=20
  
  The saunf supari or the allied materials usually contains betelnuts, =
  aniseed, chewing tobacco, colouring, flavouring agents. Some of these =
  samples also contain dry fruits such as peanut, almond, pistachio etc.=20
  
  A dental surgeon said chewing of chhalia is commonly considered a =
  harmless habit, but its hazards are countless and last through =
  generations.=20
  
  She said it causes stiffness in the muscles and tissues of the mouth and =
  tongue behaves like one made of rubber.=20
  
  These are the early symptoms of cancer.=20
  
  In such cases, she pointed out, the mouth of the patient is forcefully =
  opened with instruments and retained in this position with the help of =
  wood or plastic strips to prevent further stricture.-APP=20
  
  
  
  
  
• From: Karuvayan (@ cs2417546-174.austin.rr.com) on: Sun Apr 13 05:01:56 EDT 2003
  
  Very nice, A pakistani paper studies south india. why don't they study the jihadis in afghanistan instead?
  
  
• From: Hemant (@ 203.195.208.26) on: Sun Apr 13 06:15:47 EDT 2003
  
  Hello Karuvayan,
  You have not read the article properly.The article does not say the studies were made in S.India,
  It is I who have seen Southern youth devouring Guthka and falling sick.I have seen people who cannot open their mouths fully due to cancerous fibrosis of cheek muscles.
  This is a serious matter.For once I have thought good of AMMA'S actions in banning Guthka in Tamilnadu.
  Hope all states will follow the example.
  
  
• From: Hemant (@ 203.195.208.26) on: Sun Apr 13 07:40:55 EDT 2003
  
  Please visit the followinf URL.
  http://216.239.39.100/search?q=cache:VOc7qD_ByrMC:www.tn.gov.in/gorders/hfw-e-301-2001.htm+Cancer+and+Gutka+habit&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
  
  
• From: Hemant (@ 203.195.208.26) on: Sun Apr 13 07:41:38 EDT 2003
  
  you'll need to cut and paste
  
  
• From: H (@ 203.195.208.26) on: Sun Apr 13 07:44:38 EDT 2003
  
  This is better.Please click .
  http://www.tn.gov.in/gorders/hfw-e-301-2001.htm
  
  
• From: Ramadas (@ dclient80-218-23-188.hispeed.ch) on: Sun Apr 13 11:42:21 EDT 2003
  
  Strangely we need the Pakis to tell us that Ghutka chewing is bad for health. The Madras people copied it from the North Indians (especially from some Tamil movies which copied the villains of Hindi movies). I remember the Ghutkas were not in Chennai as late as 1989! Then came the maawa and ghutka boom! Visit the cancer-institute WIA in Adyar, and they have a list of things which cause mouth-cancer. Ghutka is one of them!
  
  
• From: Hemant (@ 203.195.208.26) on: Sun Apr 13 14:08:14 EDT 2003
  
  Hello Ramdas,
  You are right.Madras did not have this craze of Gutka then.But strangely it caught on due to habit forming fungus which is one of the deadliest poison known to mankind and it grows only at the center of Supari (Black and gray fungus found in Pakku(supari).
  These gutka makers buy only spoilt supari for this purpose.
  Once you have the gutka, you need to have it always.Yes I have given free service in Cancer hospital in Adyar where my father was treated.I have seen what tobacco and gutka does to people.
  
  
• From: Shankar (@ ) on: Thu Oct 7 21:22:12
  
  It does not really matter if it is a study conducted in Pakistan or the moon. The truth is ghutka is a killer.
  
  

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