Karnataka's Arecanut Study: A Challenge to WHO Findings

The Karnataka government has commissioned a private institute to investigate the health impacts of arecanut, following concerns from local growers. This move counters a WHO report linking arecanut and smokeless tobacco to oral cancer, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The state minister suggests tobacco admixture as the primary risk.

The Karnataka government has tasked a private institute with studying the health effects of arecanut, according to State Horticulture Minister S S Mallikarjun. This decision comes in response to concerns raised by BJP MLA Araga Jnanendra, who questioned the state’s measures against a WHO report linking arecanut to oral cancer.

The report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), under WHO, suggests that smokeless tobacco and areca nut contribute to a significant number of oral cancer cases. In 2022 alone, over 120,000 cases were attributed to these factors, with a significant impact in South-Central Asia and low- to middle-income countries.

Minister Mallikarjun points out that the IARC’s findings primarily focus on gutkha, which combines tobacco and areca nut. He emphasizes that arecanut by itself may not have the reported effects. He urges collaboration with the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute to dispute the IARC report.