55 percent children badly affected by consumption of tobacco products, says DHO

Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that creating awareness is vital in the anti-tobacco campaign, Senior Civil Judge and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Member-Secretary Devaraj Bhute said that people must be sensitised on the harmful effects of tobacco consumption.

He was speaking at the ‘World Anti-Tobacco Day’ organised by the District Administration in association with District Tobacco Control Cell at Kote Anjaneyaswamy temple premises at the Palace North Gate here on Tuesday.

Expressing concern that about 8 crore people are becoming victims of tobacco-related diseases, Judge Bhute stressed on the need for first educating the youths on the harmful effects of tobacco consumption.

DHO Dr. K.H. Prasad said that more than 100 crore people of the country are consuming tobacco products in one form or the other, which is alarming.

Maintaining that 10 lakh people are losing their life every year on account of tobacco-related diseases, he said while 10 percent of them die due to smoking, 55 percent children are badly affected by consumption of tobacco products in various forms.

Stressing on the need for staying away from tobacco, Dr. Prasad said that several concerned departments have joined hands in creating anti-tobacco awareness.

District Family Welfare Officer Dr. Ravi, District TB Control Officer Dr. Siraj Ahmed and others were present on the occasion.