Team Herald
PANJIM: The National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) has alleged that the cigarette industry is preventing the government from taking strong action against the tobacco and cigarette menace.
Celebrating World No Tobacco Day at the Directorate of Health Services in Panjim, NOTE General Secretary Dr Shekhar Salkar said, “There is a very powerful lobby of the industry which is preventing government from taking powerful action. In addition they are stimulating farmers to come against the NGOs.”
He said the industry lobby has been successful in inciting confrontation from farmers against NGOs working against the tobacco and cigarette menace. He, however, stated that Goa is the least affected State as far as tobacco use and cigarette smoking. “Compared to rest of India, Goa is the best. We have less than 10 percent smoking and after us is Punjab with around 15 percent. But Punjab has a plus point as in their religion, Sikkhism, cigarette is banned. Despite that they are smoking 15 percent. So we are much better,” he added.
Raising concerns on the growing percent of women smokers, Salkar said that new initiatives and campaigns which would be women centric will be designed and launched.
He said, “We are now worried about ladies smoking. In Goa I’m much bothered as ladies are taking to smoking due to peer pressure.”
At pubs or parties, they find other ladies smoking and they are not. So there is tremendous pressure on the younger generation.”
Referring to eradicate the menace, Salkar said it is a distant possibility as the government will have to come up with a long term plan or a policy to encourage farmers to give up the cultivation of crop and take up other crops for cultivation.
