State health minister flags off World No Tobacco Day rally

‘Tobacco is the leading cause of death, diseases and disability. Over 50 lakh people die every year in the world due to the use of tobacco,’ said Delhi health and family welfare minister Ashok Kumar Walia on Friday at an event to mark World No Tobacco Day in Poorva Sanskritik Kendra in Laxmi Nagar . The minister flagged-off an autorickshaw rally with banners creating awareness against tobacco and its products.

Director of health services N V Kamath, Anti-Tobacco programme director Amar Pusph, NGO volunteers and school children were present at the programme.

To save people from falling prey to the use of tobacco and tobacco products, the government of India, along with government of Delhi, has taken stringent measures in the form of enforcing Delhi Prohibition of Smoking and Non Smokers Health Protection Act 1996 and Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003 .