Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Voluntary Health Association (HPVHA) organized an anti-tobacco workshop here, in which it was said that every year over ten lakhs people die from tobacco intake. Above 50% of cancer patients die from lung cancer in India, among whom 96% lung cancer patients suffer due to tobacco intake.
According to a survey conducted by Dr. Balraj Singh of IGMC, it was found that adolescents taking to smoking in large numbers than others, disclosed SN Joshi, Advisor HPVHA. About 29.3 percent of school children smoke. In private school the number of smokers was about 31 percent and in government schools it was 28.6 percent.
Speaking over the occasion, Sita Ram Mardi, IG Law and Order, HP Police, revealed that 68% people of the state are addicted to drugs and 17% of youth and 10% of girls contribute to these figures.
He said law agencies had been able to achieve success in enforcing no-smoking ban at cinema halls, bus stands, railway stations and other public places.
Executive Director HPVHA, Narender Sharma, said that though 12% people of 15 to 19 years, 33% people of 20 to 34 years and 44% of 35 to 49 years are smokers, all efforts were being made to make Shimla a ‘smoke free town’ by end of 2009.
Raised in Shimla and originally from Mandi district, Disha wears many caps which includes being part of a lead team of a fast growing IT company based out of Chandigarh. Earlier Disha was associated with My Himachal and visits Shimla regularly.
i really appriciatre for highlighting this topic by the editor of this article …wel i would like to say that making himachal a smoke free state is just a satisfation and a social responsibility that state wants to prove rest no one would back his fingers from taking a puff…..this would all be behind the curtain and with more intense way