‘Tobacco kills, Let’s not be duped’

June 1, 2000
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Kathmandu, June 1: The National Alliance Against Tobacco Consumption-Nepal organised an interaction programme around the topic-” Tobacco kills, let’s not be duped” on the occasion of the World No-Tobacco Day 2000 here.

On the occasion, under-secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communications, Mrs Bina Pradhan, said that tobacco advertisement has been banned in the electronic media in line with the health ministry decision.

She said but a separate initiative was needed to ban tobacco advertisement in the print media.

Deputy-Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Bidur Mainali stressed that the government and the civil society should work together in checking the production and sales of tobacco and to create massive public awareness on the hazards of smoking.

Alliance general-secretary Hulas Chand Golchha shed light on the objectives of the alliance and said that it has been conducting productive programmes since its inception.

Central Vice-President of the World Hindu Federation Shankar Lal Kedia said that people could be made aware about the bad effects of smoking through the joint efforts of the government and the social institutions and organisations.

General-Secretary of the Bramha Kumari Rajyog Services Centre, Surat Bahadur Aiyer said on the World No-Tobacco Day, every one should resolve to give up smoking.

Jaya Prakash, the speaker of the Nepali Dharma Sansad said tobacco advertisement should be banned in all the mass media.

President of the Buddhist Spiritual Council Omkar Movement, Upendra Bahadur Gautam underlined the need of a powerful lobbying in the street and in parliament to free the society of bad habits like smoking and drinking.

President of the Heart Club, Nepal Dr. Krishna Jung Rana shed light on the dangers of smoking. He said smoking causes cancer and various heart diseases. Founder of the Amrit Sanstha-Nepal Bishnu Prasad Kharel recommended yoga and meditation practices to build up will power to give up bad habits.

Vice-president of the Mrigendra Samjhana Medical Trust Bhim Bahadur Adhikari said that the trust has been s engaged in the crusade against smoking and tobacco consumption for the past 25 years.

From the chair, alliance president and senior cardiologist Dr. Mrigendra Raj Pandey said that we can eliminate bad habits like smoking and drinking from the society if all the social institutions and organisations worked together as per the spirit of the slogan of this year’s World No-Tobacco Day. The slogan of this year’s World No-Tobacco Day is ” Tobacco kills, let’s not be duped.” He also demanded a complete ban on the advertisement of cigarettes.