India: Boys Want to be Men at 10, Start Smoking

Source from:  Deccan Chronicle (in)  05/28/2013

Even 10 year old children smoke cigarettes these days, as young people take more and more to the consumption of tobacco. The indirect advertisement of tobacco and tobacco products has proved too great a temptation for young people to resist, leading to an overall increase in its consumption.

Statistics say that 10 to 12% of the youth in the State consume tobacco and the age of initiation into the habit is currently as low as 10 years. In a bid to check this growth, the State Government is aiming for a total ban on tobacco advertisement starting this year, announced V.B Patil, Commissioner, Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department.

Patil was speaking after flagging off the bikeathon on Sunday, organized by BGS Global Hospital to campaign for a tobacco free society to mark the World No Tobacco Day, which is celebrated each year on May 31. The growing rate of tobacco consumption among the youths has also been the chief cause of cancers rising in young people in the State. Taking into account all the other contributing factors as well, tobacco has been established as  responsible for 50% of the cancers.

Because of the increasing usage of tobacco among the youth in Karnataka, it is important to increase awareness on the preventable causes of cancer such as tobacco consumption, stressed Dr Vishal Rao, Head and Neck Onco Surgeon, BGS Global Hospitals.

The prime target of this unique initiative has been the youth (20-40 years). Shreenivas Reddy said "Riding a Tusker Harley-Davidson through the streets is something young people are very happy to do, so combining it with a good cause like spreading the message of awareness against tobacco, will definitely ensure a greater impact."

About 40-45 people from various walks of life rode Harley Davidsons along with an array of superbikes, covering a 17 Km stretch that began at Queen's Circle, Cubbon Park and ended at  BGS Global Hospitals, Uttarahalli Road. Participants displayed placards with messages to create awareness about the ill effects of tobacco consumption. Enditem