10 lakh people die every year due to tobacco

RANGIA: Every year at least 10 lakh people die due to chewing tobacco and in Assam the number is around 34,000. This was informed by Dr Amiya Kumar Das, Nodal Officer, Kamrup District Tobacco Control Cell, during a journalists' workshop held at Yuba Vikash Kendra, Amingaon on Tuesday.

The sensitization workshop for media persons was jointly organized by Assam Cancer Care Foundation and Kamrup District Tobacco Control Cell, in collaboration with Tata Trust on the subject 'Tobacco Use and its Relationship with COVID-19'. In his speech, Dr Das expressed his concern over use of tobacco amongst the youths. He appealed to the parents and people of the society to come forward to stop this. He also urged the teachers, members of the School Managing and Development Committees and allied persons to create awareness against the use of tobacco and its affects.

Akash Pradhan, senior executive of Tata Trust, also spoke on the subject. He urged the Police and Health department to strictly implement the ban on sale of tobacco within 100 metres of educational institutions.

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