SHILLONG, MAY 30: Hundreds of students in the city took part in the ‘Say No to Tobacco Campaign’ rally and also urged the state government to come up with measures to control the sale of tobacco in the Meghalaya.
Students from 10 different schools participated at the procession displaying placards carrying different slogans to spread the awareness about ill-effects of tobacco and urging the government to put a stop on sale of tobacco products.
Organized by the Rotary Club Shillong on Friday, the rally concluded at St Anthony’s Higher Secondary School which was followed by a meeting.
Addressing on the participants East Khasi Hills District deputy commissioner Sanjay Goyal, who graced the occasion as chief guest, informed that in India 60 lakhs people which is double the population of Meghalaya died because of the use of tobacco products.
Asserting the need to come up with strategies, Goyal said, “Such issues of concern require the collaborative efforts of all concerned on how to get out of such problems.”
Stating that addiction is easy to start with, Goyal however urged the student community to resist from such temptations and bad habits and instead act as messengers that tobacco kills.
In his speech, Dr George Kallingal, a professor of University of Guam USA, said there is a need to challenge the homes, schools and religious institutions to make the people live better and quality life.
“A recent study has rated that 65 per cent of the students and teachers in Meghalaya use tobacco products in the form of smoking and chewing,” Dr C Varghese, past president of the Rotary Club Shillong (RCS) informed.
Dr Varghese said, cancer problems and deaths related to the use of tobacco products is at an alarming rate in Meghalaya adding the objective of the programme today is to create awareness to the people especially the youths and educational institutions in order to reduce such problems.
According to him, 70 per cent of the total population are indulging in tobacco use and carrying diseases related problem.
Stating that tobacco is forbidden in the country’s law, he lamented, “But these existing laws and acts have not been implemented by the law enforcing agencies of the state government as we continue to witnessed smoking in public places and sale of tobacco products near educational institutions.”
Dr Varghese added that it is time for the state government to take a tough stand on the issue and ensure the existing laws of the land are enforced in letter and spirit because using of tobacco not only kills, it drains out the family’s happiness, and even affect the state ‘s economic well being.- By Our Reporter
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