The Fact News Service
Chandigarh, October 31
Punjab Government initiated a drive to eradicate tobacco use to save children & youth as well as a tobacco-free workplace on the occasion of Punjab State No Tobacco Day.
Giving details, Health Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that Punjab is the first state in the country to celebrate a state-specific “Punjab State No Tobacco Day” on 1st November. The theme of the campaign is “Tobacco-Free Workplaces”. Punjab is also a pioneer state to focus on youth by timely ban on E-cigarettes, hookah bars and by declaring hostels of Colleges/Universities as Tobacco Free. The state will continue making efforts to curb this menace of Tobacco as this will go a long way in deterring young children & youth from initiation & also motivate current users to quit.
Explaining objective of this campaign, he said that to make all the offices Tobacco free and to protect non-users from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke at workplaces.
Describing tobacco use is a major threat to public health globally, he said that smokeless tobacco users first of all are prone to deadly diseases and early death, and secondly users have a tendency to spit in public places, and therefore it increases health risks especially by spreading infectious and contagious diseases.
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