TFK collaborated with The Directorate of Health Services; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology; Regional Cancer Centre and other organisations to observe World No Tobacco Day 2013. A variety of infotaining activities were organised over two days - 30 May and 31 May.Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Oommen Chandy inaugurated the World No Tobacco Day observance event at Achutha Menon Institute of Health Sciences Auditorium on 31 May. In his inaugural address, the Chief Minister said that the Government will ban illicit tobacco advertisements at the points of sale in Kerala.
The Government will take all legal measures to reduce tobacco consumption such as ban on advertisements and increasing taxes. Cigarette taxes have been raised from 15 to 20% in the current Budget; the objective was not to raise revenue but rather to bring down consumption, the Chief Minister said.
Thanks also to the Court’s intervention, public smoking has reduced a great deal in Kerala. However, it is a matter of concern that nearly 35% of people over 15 years use tobacco products in some form or the other. While poison kills suddenly, tobacco takes away precious lives slowly and painfully. A strong campaign and awareness building is needed against tobacco use, Shri Chandy added.
Dr K Radhakrishnan, Director, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology; Dr Paul Sebastian, Director, Regional Cancer Centre and Vice Chairman, Tobacco Free Kerala; , Dr KR Thankappan, Prof and Head, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies and Dr AS Pradeepkumar, Addl Director, Directorate of Health Services and Nodal Officer for tobacco control in Kerala also spoke.
A multi-departmental panel participated in the technical session on ‘Role and Commitment of Education, Health, Police, Film and Media in Tobacco Control’ that followed. Shri Rajeev Sadanandan, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare moderated the session. Shri A Shajahan, Director of Public Instructions; Shri P Vijayan, Commissioner of Police, Trivandrum; Shri John Brittas, Managing Director, Malayalam Communications Ltd.; Shri TP Madhukumar, Kerala Regional Officer, Central Board of Film Certification and Shri K Anil Kumar, Joint Commissioner, Food Safety were the panelists. The speakers contended that while various departments are making independent efforts, there is a need for collective and coordinated efforts to tackle the scourge of tobacco use.
