World No Tobacco day to be celebrated on 31st May, 2019

Chandigarh, 30^th May, 2019:: Health Department, UT Chandigarh is going to celebrate World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) on 31st May, 2019 throughout the city with the theme of “Tobacco and lung health”. The objective to celebrate this day is to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and passive smoke exposure and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.

The ill effect of tobacco ranges from cancer to chronic respiratory diseases. Tobacco smoking is the primary cause for lung cancer, responsible for over two third of lung cancer deaths globally. Passive smoke exposure at home or in the work place also increases risk of lung cancer. Tobacco is a single most preventable cause of death in the world. Tobacco smoke is a very dangerous form of indoor air pollution; though smoke may be invisible it can linger in the air for up to five hours putting those exposed at risk of lung cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and reduced lung function.

Section 4 of the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 prescribes that ‘No person shall smoke in any public place’. It mentions that in a hotel having thirty rooms or a restaurant having seating capacity of thirty persons or more and in the airports, a separate provision for smoking area or space may be made. In this connection, hotels having thirty rooms or restaurants having seating capacity of thirty persons or more are advised to discontinue use of Hookah's in "No Smoking Area". All the eateries serving hookahs in UT of Chandigarh are further advised not to use nicotine and comply with the aforesaid provisions of the Act in letter and spirit.

Sensitization of the general public is being done at mass level through various awareness generation activities like organizing Street Plays, Social Media updates, taking of pledge in all the institutions/ offices, broadcasting through FM Channels, Audio announcements through Traffic Light PA system, sending of Bulk message to Pregnant ladies, Scrolling of the health message at health facility level etc. All the Interns working in Government Multispecialty Hospital, Sector 16 are going to participate in terms of awareness generation through various methods.

 A mass pledge by the staff/ workers of Health Department, UT Chandigarh will be undertaken in the State Institute of Health & Family Welfare, Government Multispecialty Hospital, Sector 16 at 11.00 am tomorrow.