Tobacco Still Widely Sold in UP as KGMU Reports More Oral Cancer Patients

A report published by ETV Bharat on 13 September 2026 found that tobacco products remain widely available across Uttar Pradesh despite restrictions on their sale, and that doctors are linking a rise in oral cancer cases to tobacco, pan masala, gutkha and smoking.

What the report says

King George's Medical University in Lucknow has recorded an increase in oral cancer patients in recent years. Professor K.K. Singh, speaking for KGMU, told the publication that the rise is not necessarily all new disease — greater awareness and earlier detection could also have contributed to the higher numbers being seen.

That caveat matters, and we would underline it. More patients arriving at a cancer clinic can mean more disease, or it can mean more people catching it in time. Both are happening.

The numbers behind it

The figures quoted come from the second Global Adult Tobacco Survey, covering 2016–17:

• 35.5% of people aged 15 and over in Uttar Pradesh used tobacco in some form.
• Smokeless tobacco use rose from 25.3% to 29.4% between 2009–10 and 2016–17.
• Use among men (52.1%) was far higher than among women (17.7%).

The report also notes enforcement activity — raids on illegal manufacturing units in Banda and Meerut — and a June 2024 restriction on selling pan masala and tobacco together. In May 2026, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court observed that operating a hookah bar is not a fundamental right and cannot automatically claim the protection given to ordinary commercial activity.

What this means if you live in Lucknow

Oral cancer is one of the few cancers you can look for yourself, in a mirror, in under a minute. The changes worth acting on are:

• A white or red patch inside the mouth that does not clear up.
• An ulcer or sore that has not healed in two to three weeks.
• A lump or thickening in the cheek, or a persistent rough patch.
• Difficulty or pain when swallowing or moving the jaw, or a numb feeling in part of the mouth.
• A tooth that has become loose for no obvious reason.

None of these means cancer. All of them mean get looked at. Anyone who uses tobacco in any form — smoked, chewed or applied — should be having their mouth examined regularly rather than only when something hurts, because the early stages are painless. That is the whole difficulty.

A screening look at the soft tissues takes a few minutes and is part of any routine examination at our clinic. If you want it done, say so when you book — call +91 72669 23333.