To mark the International Women’s Day, the Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum (CLPF), Assam on Friday conducted Anti-Tobacco Signature Campaign at Guwahati and Dibrugarh.
In Guwahati, the CLPF inaugurated the signature campaign among the members of Jyoti Sikha Mahila Samati, Panjabari.
More than 100 members of Jyoti Sikha Mahila Samati participated in the campaign, stated a press communique.
Advocate Ajoy Hazarika, secretary, CLPF, briefed them about the cons of use and consumption of tobacco and tobacco products and administered a pledge to them to spread the message among their family members and their respective societies.
Hazarika informed that the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, India (2016-17), by the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW), shows that nearly 28.6% of adults use tobacco.
Nearly 37% children in India initiate smoking before the age of 10, and each day 5500 children begin tobacco use and consequently may become addicted.
According to GATS-2 (Global Adult Tobacco Survey) report 48.2 per cent of adults in Assam consume tobacco in some form or the other in which 62.9 percent constitute males and 32.9 percent females.
Assam has shown a significant rise of 9 % in overall tobacco consumption from 39.3 percent during the last survey in 2009-10 to 48.2 percent now compared to 6 % decline in national average. Forum also runs in signature campaign in various Apartments and Educational Institutes of Guwahati.
All are applied to avoid use and consumption of tobacco and tobacco products.
Volunteers of Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum from Dibrugarh district also carried out the campaign at Dibrugarh University campus with a huge response.
Teachers, students and office staff members participated in the signature campaign, the communique added.