Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education, Atal Dulloo on Friday said tobacco consumption has decreased by two percent in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past.
“As far as our State is concerned the rate of consumption of cigarettes or any kind of tobacco has declined by 2 to 3 percent in recent years but that is not the achievement till it reaches to zero percent,” he said, as per an official handout
He was speaking at the State Level Inception cum sensitization workshop for stakeholders on effective implementation of COTPA, 2003. The workshop was organised by the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir.
During the workshop, Director Health Kashmir, Dr. Kunzes Dolma also highlighted the importance of awareness and sensitization programmes to educate people about bad effects of tobacco or cigarettes on health.
Underscoring the need for a complete ban on the use of tobacco and its allied products in the State, Commissioner, Food Safety, Vinod Sharma sought overwhelming support of the society to deal with the menace.