MillenniumPost
Bengal

Drive to check tobacco consumption in youngsters

Kolkata: Tapan Dasgupta, Trinamool Congress councillor and chairman Borough Committee X will take part in the Blue Line Campaign at Gandhi Colony Bharati Balika Vidyalaya at Netaji Nagar on Tuesday.

The 'Blue Line Campaign' is aimed at making people aware of the adverse effects of tobacco consumption and its products and preventing the young generation from getting addicted to it. Under the campaign, a Blue Line will be painted 100 yards away from an educational institution's boundary wall, indicating that it is a 'Tobacco Free Zone'. This is for the first time when such an initiative will be taken up.

Dasgupta said it was alarming that smoking among schoolchildren had gone up in the past few years. More campaign is required to create awareness among the young smokers. He felt that such an initiative would be effective and no tobacco products would be sold within 100 m from the school premises.

Tobacco consumption is one of the most harmful habits of people. Bengal has an alarmingly high number of tobacco consumers. About 9.6% of the state's population—from around the age of 15 years— is exposed to smoking, 19.8% get addicted between 18 and 19 years, and 53.8% get addicted between 20 and 34 years. It is the leading cause of preventable death.

The objective of the campaign is to sensitise state government officials on the COTPA Regulations, and ensure proper enforcement of it. Tobacco Free West Bengal is an Ngo that works hand in hand with the state government and civic bodies to create awareness among the people.

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