AALO, Sep 20: A mega school awareness programme on ‘Harmful Effects of Tobacco’ by the District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) of West Siang district was organized at Government Town Middle School in Aalo.
Giving an overview of the harmful effects of tobacco consumption, DTCC Social Work Mobiliser, Obang Mize said that tobacco caused 5.4 million deaths globally till 2004 and smoking is practiced by 1.22 billion people in the world. In India, 150 million males and 34 million females used tobacco.
Through a PowerPoint presentation, Mize informed that according to the Global Tobacco Survey of 2010, 61 percent of women in Mizoram were consuming tobacco and 3.7 lakhs were consuming smokeless tobacco in Arunachal Pradesh.
Stressing on the need for awareness on ill effects of tobacco in schools and public places, he said if tobacco consumption continues at the current rate, large number of youths will face health risks and likely die in an early age from tobacco-related illnesses.
Consultant, Yomnya Badak also gave a PowerPoint presentation on the theme ‘A Global Burden of Tobacco and COTPA Act, 2003’. She added that the National Tobacco Control Programme is currently implemented in 13 districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
Apart from teaching staff, more than 500 students and NCD staff of the Medical Department attended the programme.
The programme ended with an anti-tobacco pledge administered by Psychologist Miti Gammeng. (DIRPO)
