KARACHI, June 15: The Pakistan Medical Association, Karachi, has praised the notification issued by city nazim regarding a ban on manufacturing, sale, use and storage of betel-nut products in the metropolis. In a statement issued here on Wednesday, PMA Karachi Secretary General Dr Qaiser Sajjad said that the PMA had been demanding a complete ban on all the products of betel nuts like Gutka, Mainpuri, and Sweet Supari, etc, since long, as these items were causing severe health problems, particularly among children and teenagers.

“The colour and sugar used in betel nuts are artificial and the industrial colour and sacharine are very harmful for liver function. The betel nuts are causing sub-mucous fibrosis in teenagers, restricting opening the mouth, carcinoma tongue, buccal mucosa, larynx, and severe airway obstruction in children when betel nuts go into the respiratory passage, besides ulceration of mouth and other ailments,” he said.—PPI