The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Anti-tobacco campaigns take centre stage

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 01, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Anti-tobacco campaigns take centre stage

Staff Reporter

Cessation of smoking has immediate benefits, says expert

AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: A volunteer of the NGO CAN-STOP puts a sticker on the pane of an autorickshaw at Koyambedu in Chennai on Thursday to mark World No-Tobacco Day. — PHOTO: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI : Anti-tobacco campaigns organised by various agencies to mark World No-Tobacco Day took centre stage in the city.

Volunteers of CAN-STOP (Cancer Support Therapy to Overcome Pain), the outreach unit of Sundaram Medical Foundation (SMF) distributed stickers with anti-tobacco messages at the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus, Koyambedu.

CAN-STOP is also running an oral cancer screening camp (May 28-June 2) at the Dentistry department of SMF. The anti-tobacco campaign, which began with a rock show on Saturday under the aegis of the Band Association of Chennai, will also feature a photo exhibition by lensman Sharad Haksar and a cycle rally by school children later this month.

The Chennai Chapter of Young Indians of the Confederation of Indian Industry organised a health awareness campaign to highlight the hazards of tobacco use. Supported by Saveetha Dental College, the campaign undertook distribution of awareness pamphlets at key locations across the city.

Meanwhile, the Respiratory Research Foundation of India, called for taking the anti-tobacco message to schools to prevent students from experimenting with cigarettes.

R. Narasimhan, Foundation chairman, citing World Health Organisation data, said over 80 per cent of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with smoking. Though smoking has been classified as a disease by WHO statistics reveal that few have kicked the habit successfully, he said.

"Nicotine deposits remain in the lung permanently. But the benefits of cessation are immediate," he said.

Cigarette use begins as a pleasure trip and gives company during stressful moments but becomes a difficult habit to give up. Among the symptoms to look out for are: black, blood stained rusty sputum or breathlessness in winter.

Though these are advanced stages of lung diseases, visiting and doctor and giving up smoking would help, says Dr. Narasimhan.

COPD symptoms are taken care of by cessation drugs, which unfortunately suffered poor patronage, he said. The RRFI, along with a host of Rotary Clubs in the city, convened a meeting to mark the occasion.

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