Smoking today kills the highest number of people every year, second only to hypertension. World Health Organisation (WHO) has been celebrating May 31st as World Anti-Tobacco Day since 1987, and this year India, too, is actively taking part in highlighting the adverse effects of smoking.
Dr. Ramesh Cardiac And Multispeciality Hospital Ltd. on Tuesday morning organised a rally in celebration of World Anti-Tobacco Day, in Vijayawada. The rally was aimed at spreading awareness about the harmful effects of smoking, and about Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) - a procedure that is gaining popularity among those seeking to quit the lethal habit of smoking.
Dr. Ramesh, an eminent cardiologist, explained that smoking trends had increased to 50% this year in the country, while, he observed, most other countries boasted of a decreasing percentile of smokers.
He appealed to the public to consider the fact that upto 14 mins of their life was taken away by every cigarette that they smoke, and that passive smokers are also adversely affected.
In Visakhapatnam, Mahatma Gandhi Cancer Hospital & Research Institute, in association with national daily The Hindu, conducted an awareness rally along the Beach Road. More than 22,000 specially-designed leaflets that expounded on the ill-effects of tobacco were distributed to the residents of the city.