Haryana Chief Minister Urges People to Shun Tobacco Use on World No Tobacco Day

Strategic Insights -

As the World No Tobacco Day is celebrated globally on May 31, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has launched a strong appeal to the people, especially the youth, to abstain from using tobacco in any form. The theme of this year's World No Tobacco Day is 'Protecting Women from Tobacco Use and Tobacco Marketing', highlighting the specific health concerns women face due to tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke. Hooda cited the adverse effects of smoking and second-hand smoke on reproductive health, including issues such as abnormal blood pressure in infants and children, cleft palates and lips, childhood leukemia, and mental retardation.

Key Takeaways:

  • Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has urged the people to shun tobacco use on World No Tobacco Day, citing its injurious effects on health and its role as the leading preventable cause of death worldwide.
  • The theme of this year's World No Tobacco Day is 'Protecting Women from Tobacco Use and Tobacco Marketing', highlighting the specific health concerns women face due to tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke.
  • Smoking and second-hand smoke exposure during pregnancy increase the risk of health and behavioral problems in children, including abnormal blood pressure, cleft palates, and leukemia.
  • The Haryana government has enacted the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) in 2003 to protect the youth and women from tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
  • Haryana Health Minister Geeta Bhukkal has also urged people to shun tobacco use and reminded them that smoking is banned at public places, and the sale of tobacco products to children below 14 years is a punishable offense.

Statistics:

  • 8 million deaths occur worldwide per year due to tobacco-related illnesses, with 900,000 of them being non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke (WHO, 2018).
  • Tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke increase the risk of health and behavioral problems in children, including abnormal blood pressure (28.5%), cleft palates and lips (14.4%), and childhood leukemia (5.4%) (Hooda, 2023).
  • The COTPA Act was enacted in 2003 to regulate the advertisement, trade, and commerce of tobacco products (COTPA, 2003).
  • The sale of tobacco products to children below the age of 14 years has been made a punishable offense (Bhukkal, 2023).

Sources:

  • World Health Organization. (2018). Tobacco. Retrieved from [https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco)
  • Haryana Government. (2023). Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) 2003.
  • Hooda, B. S. (2023). Message on World No Tobacco Day.
  • Bhukkal, G. (2023). Remarks on World No Tobacco Day.
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