Bhubaneswar: Odisha has recorded a modest decline in tobacco consumption among both women and men, but nearly half of the state’s adult men continue to use tobacco in some form, according to the district-wise data from National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) released recently.Experts said tobacco consumption poses a major public health challenge and raises oral cancer concerns. While the decline is a positive sign, consumption needs to dip further to reduce the cancer burden, they added.The data shows that 22.8% of women aged 15 years and above use tobacco, down from 26.1% in NFHS-5. Among men, prevalence declined from 51.7% to 48.3%, indicating slow progress in tobacco-control efforts. Odisha’s prevalence is much higher than the national average.Several districts showed encouraging improvements from NFHS-5. Among men, tobacco use dropped sharply in Mayurbhanj, from 62.2% to 51%; Khurda, from 44.7% to 34.3%; Puri, from 52.6% to 40.5%; Angul, from 56.9% to 48.8%; and Dhenkanal, from 56% to 47.2%. In all, 21 districts showed a reduction in tobacco consumption among men, while nine districts reported an increase.Among women, notable declines were recorded in Mayurbhanj, from 34.9% to 27.7%; Keonjhar, from 34.9% to 30.2%; Puri, from 25.5% to 17.9%; and Khurda, from 20.1% to 14.5%. Overall, 24 of the 30 districts recorded a decline in tobacco use among women compared with NFHS-5, while six districts witnessed an increase.Tobacco use increased among both men and women in only five districts — Ganjam, Nuapada, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Kandhamal — highlighting pockets where tobacco-control efforts may need to be strengthened. On the positive side, both men and women registered a decline in tobacco consumption in 19 districts, reflecting an overall improvement in tobacco-use indicators across much of the state.Former director of public health Niranjan Mishra said the decline in tobacco use is a positive signal, but prevalence remains unacceptably high in many districts. Reducing tobacco consumption can substantially cut the risk of oral cancer and other cancers of the head and neck, he added.“Most oral cancer cases are linked to smokeless tobacco, gutka and smoking. Early prevention through tobacco cessation is far more effective and economical than treating advanced cancer,” Mishra said.Oral cancer has become a major concern for govt, as Odisha has reported more than 3,200 deaths due to oral cancer in the past decade. This form of cancer accounts for a large share of the state’s total cancer cases.Mohammad Imran Ali, an anti-tobacco campaigner, said districts reporting tobacco use above 50% among men need focused awareness campaigns, stricter enforcement and community-level interventions. “We need to intensify campaigns in rural areas and also target tribal districts to reduce the prevalence,” he added.