Say no to tobacco in any form

Now this is absolutely ironical. Today 31st May is observed around the world as 'World No Tobacco Day'. It is intended to promote a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption across the planet. The day is projected to draw awareness to the extensive prevalence of tobacco use and to consequent negative health effects.

And today we have a results of a study done by New England Journal of Medicine in public domain. New England Journal of Medicine conducted a survey with the help of almost 1000 volunteers in all the parts of India.

And their study has shown that 12 crore Indians are smokers now.

It is no secret that day-by-day, there is a steady increase in number of people consuming tobacco in some form or the other.

Even as per the Central Government's estimate, every year as may as  six lakh people die due to 'passive smoking'!      

4,20,000 Indians breath their last every year on account of lung failure.

And shockingly the raise in numbers of female tobacco users in India is too much!      

This is true in both the rural and urban areas of India.

Moreover, approximately six lakh people died last year due to Cancer and out of these 42% deaths were result of tobacco consumption.

And the deaths due to eating tobacco may touch the figure of one crore soon!

In 2011, the quantity of tobacco products produced in India stood at 670 million kilo and products of 475 million kilo were consumed.

Central Government gets 15,527 crores of revenue from the sale of cigarettes, bidi, gutkha and other tobacco products. No doubt it is source of money for the governments.

However the rate at which there is increase in the number of people consuming tobacco, there is need to go for more stringent campaign against the evils of tobacco.

If you think for a moment, we have almost 78,65,00000 Indians below the age of 35. And just imagine the kind of loss, if most of these turn to tobacco. For time-pass, for pleasure, as a habit, or just due to peer pressures.

Government, society, media, and we the people, will have to propagate the anti-tobacco message.

P.S. The Union Health ministry will release a set of operational guidelines for National Tobacco Control Programme today.