SRINAGAR: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar today inaugurated the one-day media sensitization workshop on Tobacco control efforts of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir at the Banquet Hall here.
The workshop, organised by the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, was held with an aim to raise awareness and engage the media in support of Tobacco control efforts of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
Secretary of Health and Medical Education, Bhupinder Kumar; Director of Health Services Kashmir, Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Rather; senior officers of the health department, medical professionals and a large number of media persons were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the participants in the workshop, Advisor Bhatnagar advocated that better enforcement and coordination among various stakeholders is vital for combating the effects of Tobacco in society. He added that Tobacco use is the gateway to the usage of other drugs as well as alcohol, and therefore we need to employ strict measures to reduce its impact. It is also the cause of most preventable deaths in society.
“Addiction is easy to pick up but very hard to give up and therefore prevention is critical to combat it,” Bhatnagar said.
The Advisor further highlighted that media has a vital role to play in tackling this menace in society, and their ability as watchdogs of society at large makes them an important stakeholder in mitigating its impact.
He called upon the media persons to make aware young ones of the ill effects of tobacco on one’s health as well as highlight violations as much as possible so that the required corrective action is taken.
Advisor Bhatnagar, on the occasion, called upon the health authorities to coordinate with the education department so that the aspect of ill effects of Tobacco use can be included in the school curriculum from the middle level.
Addressing the gathering, Bhupinder Kumar said that media is an important stakeholder in fighting this menace and this workshop will help in capacity building of media persons on various aspects of law related to Tobacco control. He added that the media has an important role in controlling Tobacco as well as drug menace in the society.
In his welcome address, the Director of Health Services said that this workshop was organised with the aim of creating awareness about Tobacco use and its impact on society. He added that this workshop will also sensitise media persons about Tobacco vendor licensing as well as the National Tobacco Control Programme.
