“Tobacco-related diseases claim more lives in the country every year than those killed in accidents and murders,” revealed Dr. U.S. Vishal Rao, Head and Neck Cancer Surgeon and Consultant, Institute of Public Health (IPH).

He was speaking at a workshop on Tobacco control, ill-effects of tobacco consumption and legal aspects organised jointly by IPH and Mysore District Journalists Association (MDJA) at Pathrakarthara Bhavan here today.

The media sensitisation workshop was attended by about 50 scribes of the district.

Dr. Vishal said that 10 lakh people died every year in the country owing to diseases caused by tobacco consumption, the prominent being cancer and lung diseases. He said that passive smoking too was dangerous and laws should be strictly enforced. He added that awareness camps should be organised at schools and colleges and young students were falling prey to the vice of smoking.

Inaugurating the programme MLA Vasu hoped that a fullfledged cancer hospital on the lines of kidwai Institute in Bangalore would come up in city and assured to do all the efforts for that. He also stressed the need for holding awareness programmes for students to prevent them from falling prey to vices. Police Commissioner Dr. M.A. Saleem reiterated that the law preventing smoking in public places was being strictly enforced. A tobacco addict who has undergone a surgery on his throat, Rudraiah, 55, from Kanakapura spoke on the ill-effects of tobacco consumption. MDJA President C.K. Mahendra and General Secretary K. Deepak were present.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore