In a bid to aware people about the ill effects of tobacco, today on the occasion of ‘World No Tobacco day’, a State Level Function was organized at Mai Bhago College of Nursing, District Tarn-Taran. The Panchayats were honored for thir unique contribution of declaring their village ‘Tobacco Free’ to strictly enforce the prohibition of the sale and use of Tobacco.Giving detail about the occasion official spokesperson of the Punjab Health Department said that ‘World No Tobacco Day’ is observed around the world every year on 31st May. This year, the theme of WNTD 2018 is “Tobacco and Heart diseases”. He said that district Tarn Tran is leading in the State having maximum number of 169 Tobacco Free Villages. He said that this special was celebrated in all districts of Punjab by organizing Seminars, Exhibitions, Oral/Medical Camps, rallies and competitions like essay, slogan writing, racing, painting etc. among students to make aware about the ill effects of Tobacco”.He further said that under the leadership of Health & Family Welfare Minister Mr. Brahm Mohindra, a special campaign "Youth against Tobacco" was also organized this year in all the districts from 15th March to 31st May 2018, which has culminated today and we got the remarkable response from youth across the state against the use of tobacco.
Dr. Areet Kaur, Nodal officer of State Tobacco Control Programme said that the Health Department has taken up tobacco control as a flagship program. She said that in order to permanently ban Hookah/Hookah a bar in the state, a bill was also introduced to curb use of tobacco in the state. She said that Punjab is a pioneer state to focus on youth by timely ban on E-cigarettes and by strictly declaring hostels of Colleges/Universities as Tobacco Free. On the other hand we are now diverting our energy towards youth of the marginalised section of society like slum population and rural areas of Punjab.Giving details about the Tobacco Free Villages, she said that total 630 villages of Punjab have declared it selves ‘Tobacco Free Villages’ by unanimously passing a resolution in year 2017-18. She said that State government had also established the ‘Tobacco Cessation centers’ in 10 districts of Punjab in 2017-18 where free cessation medicines like Nicotine gums and patches are being provided to the patients. State is consistently making efforts to curb the menace of Tobacco as this would go a long way in deterring young children & youth from giving a chance to