“Crop Protection Chemicals and Cancer” – TOBACCO the killer

ACTIVITY REPORT

One Day International Seminar on

“Crop Protection Chemicals and Cancer”

Venue: Dr. Ramalingaswamy Board Room, AIIMS, New Delhi
Date: 5th June 2025
Time: 09:30 AM – 05:15 PM

Organized By:

  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi

  • PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI)

  • In collaboration with Dhanuka Agritech Ltd

Chief Guest:

  • Dr. M. Srinivas, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi

Seminar Chair & Moderator:

  • Prof. Dr. Debabrata Kanungo, Former Additional Director General, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Organiser & Industry Representative:

  • Mr. R. G. Agarwal, Chairman Emeritus, Dhanuka Agritech Ltd

Event Overview:

This international seminar brought together global and national experts to deliberate on the public health risks posed by crop protection chemicals, especially their carcinogenic potentials. It was attended by key policymakers, scientific leaders, medical professionals, and representatives from the agrochemical industry and ministries.

The event began with traditional lamp lighting and Saraswati Vandana, followed by inaugural addresses by the dignitaries, setting the tone for an intense day of knowledge exchange and actionable insights.

My Role: Invited Speaker

Dr. Pawan Gupta
Senior Director, Surgical Oncology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali
Founder, ICanCaRe & ICanWin

I was invited to speak on the critical theme:
“Tobacco and Health – A Chemical Crisis Masquerading as a Lifestyle Choice”

Key Highlights from My Talk:

  • Tobacco is not just a health hazard; it’s a chemically intensive crop requiring excessive use of carcinogenic pesticides like chlorpyrifos, metalaxyl, and paraquat.

  • Tobacco farming impacts soil, water, and farmer health, contributing to a silent chemical poisoning of rural communities.

  • The end product – be it cigarettes, bidis or chewing tobacco – contains over 7,000 chemicals, including 70+ carcinogens like formaldehyde, polonium-210, and arsenic.

  • Tobacco addiction is chemically engineered, socially propagated, and economically manipulative – demanding it be treated as a disease, not a habit.

  • Shared clinical case studies demonstrating complete regression of precancerous lesions upon cessation and treatment using the ICanCaRe Protocol and TrisCaRe device.

  • Emphasized the economic burden tobacco places on India – a ₹177,000 crore loss annually – and the urgent need for regulation and cessation infrastructure.

Panel Contribution:

Later, I joined the prestigious panel discussion on “Regulatory Gaps and Future Pathways”, sharing insights on:

  • Strengthening primary screening for oral lesions.

  • Empowering farmers through crop substitution programs.

  • Mobilizing grassroots tobacco marshals to lead cessation efforts.

Dignitaries Present:

  • Dr. Angelo Moretto – University of Padova, Italy

  • Dr. Michael Dourson – President, TERA, USA (Virtual)

  • Dr. Gyanendra Gongal – WHO SEARO

  • Dr. Rakesh Pandey – CIMAP, Lucknow

  • Dr. J.S. Thakur – PGIMER, Chandigarh

  • Dr. Peter Loke – Centre for Biomedical Ethics, Singapore

  • Dr. Sandhya Kulshrestha, Dr. Seema Singhal, Dr. Vandana Tripathi, and others from AIIMS and regulatory bodies

Conclusion:

The seminar concluded with a strong consensus:
Crop protection and tobacco control are not isolated public health issues — they are chemically entangled crises that demand integrated, multi-stakeholder action.

As a surgical oncologist and a tobacco cessation crusader, I reiterated that prevention is always better than treatment, and a proactive lifestyle is our strongest line of defense.

Call to Action:

  • Join the ICanCaRe Quitline (9773856664)

  • Promote tobacco-free environments at schools, workplaces, and public areas

  • Encourage patients, peers, and policymakers to recognize tobacco as a chemical hazard

  • Support farmer transitions away from tobacco cultivation

Report Compiled By:
Dr. Pawan Gupta
Senior Director, Surgical Oncology
Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali
Founder – ICanCaRe | ICanWin
www.icancare.com | pawan@icancare.com

 “Tobacco and Health – A Chemical Crisis Masquerading as a Lifestyle”

“Tobacco and Health: Towards an Oral Cancer and Tobacco-Free Bharat, – at the One Day International Seminar on Crop Protection Chemicals and Cancer” held on 5th June 2025 at AIIMS, New Delhi.

This abstract summarizes a presentation titled “Tobacco and Health: Towards an Oral Cancer and Tobacco-Free Bharat,” delivered at an International Seminar on Crop Protection Chemicals and Cancer on June 5, 2025, at AIIMS, New Delhi.

The presentation posits that tobacco is fundamentally a chemical issue, not just a health issue, as it is chemically engineered from cultivation to consumption. It is characterized as the only legal consumer product designed to kill when used as intended. Tobacco is an agrochemical-heavy crop, requiring substantial pesticides and fertilizers, many of which are carcinogenic or neurotoxic. These chemicals, though their half-life may be low in cultivation, accumulate in the leaf, and the final tobacco product itself contains numerous chemicals added during processing that cause toxicity.

The presentation highlights multi-faceted harms caused by tobacco:

  • Health Impact:
    • On Farmers: Tobacco cultivators are routinely exposed to pesticides, nicotine-laden dust, and other chemicals, leading to “Green Tobacco Sickness” (acute nicotine poisoning absorbed through the skin). Studies indicate elevated rates of cancer, neurological issues, reproductive problems, and chronic fatigue among them.
    • On Users: Tobacco delivers over 7,000 chemicals, including 250 known harmful chemicals and over 70 known carcinogens such as formaldehyde, polonium-210, benzene, arsenic, cadmium, and lead. It causes approximately 200 different types of diseases, and is responsible for over 1.3 million deaths annually in India. Tobacco is a major contributor to 90% of oral cancers, 85% of lung cancers, and various other cancers (bladder, esophagus, pancreas, cervix, kidney), as well as heart disease, stroke, COPD, infertility, diabetes complications, and poor immunity. Chewing tobacco, specifically, contains slaked lime, which increases nicotine absorption but also causes oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), a widespread precancerous condition in India. The brain experiences pleasure from dopamine secretion, leading to addiction and rewiring, but all other parts of the body are harmed.
    • Second and Third-Hand Exposure: Children exposed to secondhand smoke face increased risks of asthma, sudden infant death syndrome, and developmental delays. Third-hand smoking involves chemicals persisting on the body and surroundings, polluting those who come into contact.
  • Environmental Impact: Tobacco is a severe environmental hazard at all stages of its production and distribution. This includes deforestation, soil degradation, loss of biodiversity, soil and water pollution from agrochemical runoff, and the generation of toxic wastes. Cigarette butts alone contribute 1.69 billion pounds of plastic pollution annually.
  • Economic Consequences: India loses Rs. 177,000 crore annually to tobacco-related illness and productivity, with every ₹1 revenue generating a ₹16 loss. Farmers remain economically vulnerable.

The presentation emphasizes that tobacco addiction is a “chemically-driven, socially-engineered public health emergency,” not merely a behavioral issue. It attributes the persistence of this epidemic to the tobacco industry’s well-funded, strategic, and manipulative tactics, which include targeting youth with flavored products and influencers, lobbying against regulation, exploiting farmers, and avoiding full taxes.

The talk also detailed work in non-invasive optical diagnostic and treatment technologies for cancer, particularly for oral cancer screening and treatment, including AI-enabled technology. Pre-malignant lesions, like leukoplakia (stage zero cancer), are detectable and curable at this stage, which can last for 4-5 years before progressing to cancer. The aim is for an “oral cancer and tobacco-free Bharat”.

The proposed way forward includes:

  • Regulating tobacco as a chemical hazard.
  • Banning cultivation with viable alternatives and providing support to farmers.
  • Protecting and screening farmers.
  • Investing in cessation support, highlighting that medical treatment and standard protocols are available to help people quit. Only 4% of people can quit by themselves, but with help, the success rate can reach up to 42%.
  • Building manpower through training programs like “Tobacco Marshal” and “Pink Angel” to motivate individuals, raise awareness, and provide intervention in communities and schools.

The core message of the talk is a call to action to treat tobacco like any other chemical hazard, emphasizing that prevention saves lives, money, and future generations through environmental control. It was suggested that framing tobacco as a “pesticide” could be an effective way to deter young people, as nicotine itself is a pesticide. The speaker concurred that while people know tobacco is bad, they need help to quit, and that the tobacco industry’s influence is a major barrier.

Call to Action:

  • Join the ICanCaRe Quitline (9773856664)
  • Promote tobacco-free environments at schools, workplaces, and public areas
  • Encourage patients, peers, and policymakers to recognize tobacco as a chemical hazard
  • Support farmer transitions away from tobacco cultivation

PRof. Dr. Pawan Gupta M.Ch.
Senior Director, Surgical Oncology
Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali
Founder – ICanCaRe | ICanWin
www.icancare.com | pawan@icancare.com

 

Prof. Dr. Pawan Gupta