PGI's School of Public Health To Celebrate No Tobacco Day

By 1 2 1 News Reporter

Chandigarh 29^th May:-- PGI's School of Public Health is celebrating No Tobacco Day on 31st May in seminar hall of School of Public Health. Director PGI and Principal Secretary Health, Punjab has consented to be a part of function. On this occasion two releases ' Journey towards smoke-free Punjab' and ' smoke-free Compliance Assessment Guidelines' shall be released during the function. In addition, to that a SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN was launched from 26th till 31st May 2014, wherein, a PLEDGE that 'I shall not consume tobacco products and also make aware my peers and family members about harmful effects of tobacco'. The big flex banners are been displayed at strategic places within PGI like New OPD, Nehru Hospital, Advance Cardiac Centre, School of Public Health and Kairon Block.

According to the spokesperson of the PGI tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of death and diseases that poses the biggest challenges to public health today. It kills nearly 54 lakhs people globally and more than 12 lakhs Indians every year. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey Report 2009-2010 (GATS) one third adults are using tobacco in some form or other in India. Nearly 15% of the young children in the age group of 13-15 use tobacco in smoke form or other (Global Youth Tobacco Survey-2009) while 27.4% boys and 8.3% girls in the age group of 15-24 use tobacco (GATS).

Every year on 31st May is observed as World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and to advocate for effective policies to reduce consumption of tobacco and tobacco products. In this year, WNTD 2014 theme is "RAISE TAXES ON TOBACCO", since it is proved through various research findings that tax rise are the most effective means of reducing tobacco consumption.