No Smoking Day observed in Guwahati

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: On the occasion of No Smoking Day, students’ and teachers’ community appealed to the Assam Government to implement Tobacco Vendor Licensing at the earliest and strictly ban Smokeless Tobacco products to save the lives of the young generation, here on Wednesday.

A large number of students and teachers from across the city attended a day long sensitization programme at Beltola High School, which was held by Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum, Assam and Consumer Voice, New Delhi. The main focus of the program was to make the students aware about the harmful effects of tobacco and tobacco consumption.

Addressing the gathering, secretary of Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum Ajoy Hazarika, said that “In Assam the rise in number of tobacco users, especially youth is a matter of serious concern because 34.3 percent of minors of the age group 13 to 15 years consume tobacco and tobacco products. Nearly one crore people in the State of Assam consume tobacco and tobacco products. 32,000 cancer cases are detected every year in Assam, of which 70 per cent are found at an advanced stage, leading to a high mortality rate of 40-50 percent.” Volunteers of CLPF Nijwm Boro, Nazia Sultana, Chanda Goutam, Thuanthailiu Gonmei and Jahangir Alam in their presentation informed that the tobacco companies are systematically targeting children as young as eight year old by selling tobacco products and placing tobacco advertisements near schools’ premises despite the prohibition. Street and mobile vendors are making these products cheap and accessible to children and youth without displaying any health warning. Attending the program, Vice- Principal of Beltola High School Biraja Das Malakar said that, “To protect and save the lives of youth and adults from harmful effects of tobacco, the government should strictly implement Tobacco Vendor Licensing as well as ban smokeless tobacco in Assam. If both tobacco and nicotine products are out from the market, then the people will lead a healthy and productive life. The teachers appeal to the government to introduce a chapter in the text book about the harmful effects of tobacco and tobacco products to create awareness among the students.” Students present in the day long sensitization program appealed the State government to strictly prohibit the manufacture, distribution , sale, transportation, display of gutka, pan masala and other swing materials containing tobacco and nicotine in the state and save millions of youth from becoming victims of cancer and other dreaded diseases.

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