New Delhi, November 6 the utilization of smokeless tobacco is on the increase in India, particularly among girls, since it doesn’t have the stigma of smoking attached to that, a release said here Tuesday.

As more and more girls chew “gutka”, “khaini” and “zarda”, serious health issues like cancer of the mouth and neck and still births are increasing at a rapid pace, according to a factsheet released by the world lung Foundation (WLF).

According to the WLF, there are several factors, as well as socio-economic and cultural, behind the increasing use of smokeless tobacco by girls.

India has one of the highest rates of smokeless tobacco use in the world. However, though 275 million Indian adults are tobacco users, 75 % of them consume smokeless tobacco product, the release said.

To create awareness about the perils of smokeless tobacco, the govt. launched a new campaign ‘Tears You Apart’ with technical and financial support from WLF and the Bloomberg Philanthropies in July.

The campaign graphically depicts the adverse effects of smokeless tobacco consumption through personal testimonials of victims suffering from cancer.