Fazal calls for complete ban on cigarettes

Exhorting the government, non-government organisations (NGOs) and individuals to make concerted efforts to ban cigarette manufacturing in the country, Maharashtra governor Mohammed Fazal on Monday said mere banning cigarette smoking in public places was not enough.

"Tobacco manufacturing companies must not be allowed to manufacture cigarettes in the country," Fazal said while speaking on the occasion of 'World no tobacco day' function organised by NGO 'Salam Bombay Foundation', a release said.

"Without this, efforts to prevent consumption of tobacco may not succeed," he added. Referring to Hindi films, Fazal said protagonist in some of the films should not be allowed to smoke cigarette on screen as "they are role models for many young children".

Lauding the work of Salaam Bombay Foundation headed by Padmini Somani, which works for children in areas of health and education with an emphasis on creating awareness against consumption of tobacco, the governor said the anti-tobacco campaign run by the organisation should become a national movement.

Speaking on the occasion, dental surgeon Vivekanand Rege, who has taken the work of creating awareness about the relationship between cancer and tobacco, said oral cancer caused by tobacco was the biggest killer disease in the country.

"One person dies of cancer every six seconds in the country," Rege said adding that oral cancer could be cured even in the second stage of the disease, provided the person must kick the habit of smoking or consuming tobacco in any form.