Babul and Beeda causes oral cancer

The Health Ministry Oral Health Division said Narcotics Babul and Beeda sold in the form of Betel to schoolchildren cause oral cancer.

A special meeting under the patronage of Minister Maithripala Sirisena was held Wednesday evening in the Ministry to discuss bad effects of drugs such as Babul and Beeda to human health, a communique issued by the Health Ministry said. The Ministry instructed health authorities to make students and the public aware of the bad effects of such Narcotics imported from India, Pakistan and Bangaldesh and sold in boutiques close to schools.

Ministry Oral Health Division Deputy Director General Dr Jayasundara Bandara said if such drugs are once taken by a person, he becomes addicted to it.

Which content of the drugs make people addicted has not yet been ascertained. He said the effects to cause for oral cancer remain high in Babul and Beeda with the percentage of 10 while the other ingredients causing cancer take two to three percentage. Dr Jayasundara Bandara said research are conducted to ascertain whether the usage of these drugs causes for other diseases and the chemical content in them.