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Tribune News Network
THE anti-smoking campaign organised by the Anti-Smoking Society in association with the Ministry of Public Health got off to a flying start at Ideal Indian School. As many as 500 students representing various schools participated in painting and elocution competitions.
Indian Community Benevolent Forum President Davis Edakkulathur inaugurated the campaign. He urged the community to treat smoking as a social evil and try to do whatever possible to eradicate it from society.
Dr Abdul Rasheed led the gathering in an anti-tobacco pledge. Nirlep Bhatt, Girish Jain, KVAbdulla Kutty, Rajesh, Shukriya Asif, Samra Mehboob, and Aswati Biswas attended the function as guests of honour. Society Chief Coordinator Amanulla Vadakkangara conducted the event.
Vadakkangara explained that the Anti Smoking Society is continuing its efforts in the awareness drive concentrating on both first and second-hand smoking as both are dangerous."Second-hand smoking is highly dangerous. Ensuring a smoke-free environment is the only effective measure to protect the public including children from exposure to second-hand smoke and all must play their role in ensuring this goal," he said.
He added,"Clean air, free from tobacco smoke, is a human right. Most people are non-smokers and have a right not to be exposed to other people's smoke. Surveys show that smoking bans are widely supported by both smokers and non-smokers. Smoke-free environments are good for business, as families with children, most non-smokers and even smokers often prefer to go to smoke-free places. Smoke-free environments provide the many smokers who want to quit with a strong incentive to cut down or stop smoking altogether. Smoke-free environments help prevent people especially the young from starting to smoke. Smoke-free environments cost little and they work."
