Kathmandu, Apr. 27: The number of smokers is reported to have decreased by 20 percent in Jumla district thanks to the launching of an anti-smoking drive.

Smokers constitute 94 percent of the population in the mountain and remote villages of the district. Tobacco (Sulfa) smokers constitute the bulk of the smokers in those areas, say the Mrigendra Samjhana Medical Trust at a seminar here Wendesday, putting the number of those giving up smoking at 1,117. The Medical Trust is going ahead with an 18-month smoking control experimental programme as well as control of Pneumonia in children under 5′ in the district with the financial co-operation of the Health Ministry’s Health Promotion Fund Board of directors and the assistance of the local people. The seminar was held to shed light on the progress of the experimental programme.

The assessment report prepared by its team lead by Hari Bhakta Pradhan after a year of the public awareness experimental programme says Dalits and Kshatris in great number have given up smoking habit while among the youths, male exceed females in giving up smoking.

In some villages, more than fifty percent of the smokers have given up the habit and several villagers threw tobacco into rivers or parted with their hubble-bubble, while others are no longer cultivating tabacco leave, the report says. At the seminar special secretary at the Health Ministry Dr Somnath Aryal expressed concern at considerable increase of ads on smoking through other media after its ban on electronic media. Founder of the Trust Dr Mrigendra Raj Pandey stressed the need to continue anti-smoking drive in view of its effective in reducing smokers in Jumla.

Chairman of the Trust Dr Krishna Jung Rana called for continued assistance from the government in anti-smoking campaign.