People urged to say ‘no’ to tobacco

People urged to say ‘no’ to tobacco
The pioneer, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Various programmes were held across the state capital on the occasion of ‘world No Tobacco Day’ on Monday. At a rally organized to observe ‘World No Tobacco Day’ Health activists decried the government for dilly-dallying on the implementation of new pictorial health warning on tobacco products. As per a government decision in March this year, the warning had to come into effect on June I, but it was postponed by the Union Government by six months and December 1, 2010 was fixed as the revised date.

‘We expected that the new warning will be more effective and deter people from consuming tobacco. But it seems that Health department has buckled under pressure of the tobacco industry’, said Health activist JP Sharma at the ‘No Tobacco Rally’ in Lucknow on Monday. Smoking is nothing but slow suicide. Thus if committing suicide is against the law, why not smoking? Asked a student, Eman ali, at the awareness rally. She also expressed concern over the fate of passive smokers. Earlier, the image of a cancer inflicted mouth was chosen as the most effective and frightening warning which was to be displayed on all tobacco packets. ‘New and stronger pictorial warnings need to be implemented urgently as the current warnings have not been effective to convince consumers of the hazards of tobacco. It is also mandatory to replace them every 12 months,’ he added. Similar practice is being implemented in Australia, Belgium, Chile, Hong Kong, Brazil and these countries change the pictures every five months.
The District tobacco control cell organised an awareness rally to mark the World No Tobacco Day which was inaugurated by Director, Balrampur Hospital, Dr. Shobhnath and culminated at the DM’ residence. District Magistrate (DM) AK Sagar released a news letter ‘Pratibimb: Tobacco edition’ (brought out by anti-tobacco Cell of Balrampur Hospital). The rally was attended by employees of Food and Drug Authority, Medical and health department and several organizations.

Similar awareness functions were organized by the department of pulmonary department of pulmonary Medicine, CSM Medical university (CSMMU) on Monday. Head of the department, pulmonary medicine, Prof Rajendra Prasad high – lighted the ill-effects of tobacco consumption among patients and their attendants in the hospital. On the other hand, an awareness comp was also organized at Vivekanand polyclinic by the Cancer Control Society which was attended by experts and doctors from the polyclinic and good number of patients.

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Tambakoo Kills News Bulletin
Thursday, 03 June 2010
Issue- 968