Sir,
Kindly refer to DE news”J&K emerging as smoking capital of northern India” published on 5th Feb.
If the facts and figures indicated in media workshop by Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) are considered as correct then it is a very alarming situation for the state. J&K’s cigarette use prevalance (12%) is almost double the nation wide prevalence of 5.7%.It has further mentioned that highest proportion of adults i.e 67.9% exposed to tobacco smoke in the offices of J&K.This shows that how young generation is inclining towards smoking. It also shows that there is no check on smoking in the Govt offices.Increase in percentage of smoking means more and more people may suffer from the deadly disease of Cancer.
It is therefore, enjoined upon all the concerned authorities who are at the helm of the affairs to take remedial measures to arrest rising trend of smoking percentage in the state.Special seminars may be arranged by the education department in schools and colleges to educate the students about the ill effects of smoking.Big hoardings may be installed at all important chowks/ places to refrain the common man from smoking/smokeless use of tobacco.
Yours etc…
Sham Singh Jamwal, SAO(Rtd)
New Plots, Jammu