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

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 02, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Anti-tobacco campaigns take centre stage

Staff Reporter

Cessation of smoking has immediate benefits, says expert

— PHOTO: K. Pichumani

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.

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.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu