Commemorating ‘World No Tobacco Day’, the Apollo cancer hospital in Hyderabad had launched a month long Anti-Tobacco Campaign to make Andhra Pradesh a ‘Tobacco Free State’ in India. Every year ‘World No Tobacco Day’ is commemorated on May 31.

Highlighting the grave need for curbing tobacco usage, Apollo Cancer Hospital director, Dr P Vijay Anand Reddy said, “nearly 2.4 crore people in Andhra Pradesh are using tobacco as per the data released by the Ministry of Health and family welfare and World Health Organization last year. Eighty lakh people in the state will die prematurely through 27 different tobacco related lethal diseases in the next few years.”

Tobacco has been proven to be a confirmed cancer causing substance by WHO nearly 30 years back and there is no safe form or safe dosage of tobacco in the world. Revenue from tobacco is a fraction of the losses that eventually attributable to its sequel. Andhra Pradesh has very low tax levels when compared to several other states in the country. Comprehensive Tobacco control is the single most cost effective, economically viable and practical approach to prevent this tragedy.

Dr Reddy strongly pleaded with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, to implement Food Safety and Standard Regulations 2011 to ban Gutka production and sale and implement COPTA Act 2003 in total i.e. no smoking in public places, no tobacco advertising, no sale of tobacco to minors, and no sale of tobacco within 100 yards of educational institutes.

Top dignitaries who participated on the occasion were, Anurag Sharma, IPS, City commissioner, Dr Bharat Reddy, Tollywood actor, Krishna Babu, GHMC Commissioner, Dr T Subramanyeshwar Rao, director, Indo American Cancer Hospital and Dr Ashwin Shah, director – Oncology, Kamineni Hospital.

On the occasion, Dr Bharath Reddy administered a pledge to the participants to act as Ambassadors for ‘No Tobacco Campaign.’ Tobacco victims participating in the program shared their experiences and strongly advised others to stop using Tobacco.

Later Tobacco Victims and Cancer Survivors led by Dr P Vijay Anand Reddy; Dr T Subramanyeshwar Rao, director, Indo American Cancer Hospital; Dr Ashwin Shah, director – Oncology, Kamineni Hospital gave a representation to Anurag Sharma, City Police Commissioner, urging him to implement ‘COTPA – 2003’ (Cigarettes & other Tobacco Products Prohibition of Advertisement & Regulation of Trade & Commerce, Production, Supply & Distribution Act) in the city with immediate effect.

Lending their support to this novel campaign on the occasion, Hyderabad City police commissioner Anurag Sharma and GHMC commissioner Krishna Babu assured to implement the COPTA regulations and make the city free from use of tobacco. Speaking on the occasion Anurag Sharma lauded the efforts of Dr Vijay Anand Reddy and Apollo Cancer Hospital in spreading awareness against tobacco usage and its harmful effects.