Religious leaders to help tobacco addicts

The leaders have been held in high esteem and whatever they speak about social evil, it has a positive effect on the people and society

Religious leaders, who have been working on various social causes like promoting immunisation, family planning and preventing female foeticide and child marriage, will now be roped in to spread awareness about the ill-effects of tobacco consumption and would also help devotees quit the addiction.

Sanjay Seth, trustee and chief of operations, Sambandh Health Foundation, an NGO working in the field of tobacco control said, “Religious books in the world have always asked to stay away from such intoxicants. The leaders have been held in high esteem and whatever they speak about social evil, it has a positive effect on the people and society.”

He said that more than 300 cancer experts from over the country associated with Voice of Tobacco Victims (VoTV) campaign will meet religious leaders to inform them about the ill-effects of tobacco who in turn would veer the people off the intoxicant. “I am sure many devotees and disciples will quit consuming tobacco if asked by the religious gurus and leaders,” Seth added.

“I will meet the religious gurus in Rajasthan and will inform them about the ill-effects of tobacco and the current situation of the state regarding tobacco consumption,” said Dr Pawan Singhal, Rajasthan patron of VoTV campaign and cancer expert.

The recently released Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS-2) 2016-17 by the ministry of health and family welfare and World Health Organisation states that the prevalence of tobacco use in India has gone down by six percentage points in GATS-2 compared to GATS-1 (2009-10).

Dr Singhal said according to GATS-2, 55% of smokers and 50% of smokeless tobacco users are planning or thinking of quitting. “This is the time when such people planning to quit should be encouraged,” he said.