‘Say no to tobacco’, urge celebs Gul Panag and Rahul Dravid

Tobacco consumption and smoking are causes for serious health concerns in India. The Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project India revealed that “tobacco use accounts for nearly half of all cancers among males and a quarter of all cancers among females and it is estimated that there will be 1.5 million tobacco-related deaths annually by 2020.”

Celebrities have often been blamed for glamourising smoking and tobacco consumption through their endorsements and roles played on television and films.

As a result, The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has even notified that films, endorsements showing smoking or tobacco consumption onscreen have to mandatorily carry a health warning as well.

Yet, saying that all the celebrities are unaware of their responsibilities would be untrue. Actress Gul Panag and former Indian cricket team captain, Rahul Dravid have ardent supporters of anti-tobacco campaigns and have been working to spread awareness about the harmful effects of consuming tobacco and smoking .

Call for youth participation

Rahul Dravid

Dravid has been selected as the brand ambassador for the National Tobacco Control Campaign while Panag raised her voice against tobacco and lent her support to the ‘No More Tobacco in 21st Century’ (NMT 21C) campaign, an initiative by Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).

Panag said, “I’d like to congratulate the Public Health Foundation of India on envisioning the ‘No More Tobacco in the 21st Century’ campaign global youth movement for a tobacco free future. It is a much needed initiative in a youth dominated demographic such as ours. Specially when, it is the youth that the advertisers of tobacco products target. An effective public countermeasure is the need of the hour to take on the cash rich and sometimes devious advertising ploys of companies that sell tobacco products.”

A collective responsibility

Gul Panag

Panag continued, “I urge youth icons in every walk of life to lead by example and step forward to join the NMT 21C and help amplify its reach. The impact of youth icons on such a movement can be catalytic. Of course it does mean placing the burden of social responsibility on the shoulders such icons. It does mean, questioning their own individual choices when it comes to tobacco usage. But those of us who are privileged to have had more than their fair share of good fortune and are in a position to influence young members of our society – should and must come forward to embrace this responsibility and see it as an opportunity to give back to the society.”

Dravid, supporting the endeavour said, “As a sports person, I would like to see every Indian healthy and fit. Tobacco harms health and steals fitness. All forms of tobacco use are dangerous and deadly. Please stay away from tobacco, if you want to lead a healthy life. No More Tobacco in 21st century appeals to me. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns us that a billion people will die because of tobacco, in the 21st century. We must make sure this does not happen by removing tobacco from our lives. No More Tobacco in the 21st century! For this, young people must take the lead.”

Panag’s recommendation to all law makers and future law makers is to help strengthen implementations of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) in the near future and also proactively think of measures that go beyond these frameworks.

Both Panag and Dravid have also been involved in other activities for the benefit of the society. Dravid supports the Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA) and AIDS Awareness Campaign. Panag has lent a hand to spread breast cancer awareness, campaigned for better sanitation facilities and better health for underprivileged children.