Anti-Smoking Campaign – An Innovative Initiative against Smoking by Tertiary Care Teaching Institute of North India

Authors

  • Shweta Talati
  • Pankaj Arora
  • Anil Kumar Gupta
  • Prem Chand Sharma

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37506/ijfmt.v16i1.17426

Keywords:

Anti-smoking campaign, Tobacco Products, Tertiary Care Institute, Innovative Initiative

Abstract

Background: Smoking as a practice has been in existence since 5000 B.C. Smoking in public places
was banned in India from 2nd October 2008. According to reports by WHO Tobacco kills more than 7
million people each year. Studies show that few people understand the specific health risks of tobacco
use. The present study was done to analyze the impact of the Anti-smoking Campaign in the Institutes’
Campus and also to make people aware of the harmful effects of smoking and motivate them to quit
this habit.
Methodology: The campaign constituted of various interventions as screening & collection,
monitoring through CCTV Surveillance, imposing penalty as per the Act, Destruction of collected
material, Behavioral change communication through Anti-smoking March, Public Lectures, Display
of Pamphlets/Signages at various places in the institute & No smoking Pledge and involvement of top
management.
Results: Total about 2613 Kgs of Tobacco and Tobacco products has been collected and destroyed from
March 2014 till April 2020. On an average 40 Kilograms of Tobacco material is collected and destroyed
per month. Till April 2020, 108 offenders who were caught smoking in the institute were penalized. ‘No
smoking Pledge’ was taken by all the participants.
Conclusion: The success achieved by the anti-smoking campaign in the Institute suggests that there is
a dire need and challenge before us to launch such type of campaigns in all the institutes worldwide to
curb this menace from our society.

Author Biographies

  • Shweta Talati

    Associate Professor, Department of Hospital Administration, PGIMER, Chandigarh

  • Pankaj Arora

    Associate Professor, Department of Hospital Administration, PGIMER, Chandigarh

  • Anil Kumar Gupta

    Medical Superitendent-cum Professor & Head, Department of Hospital Administration, PGIMER, Chandigarh

  • Prem Chand Sharma

    Chief Secrity Officer, Security Wing, PGIMER, Chandigarh

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Published

2021-11-02

How to Cite

Anti-Smoking Campaign – An Innovative Initiative against Smoking by Tertiary Care Teaching Institute of North India. (2021). Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, 16(1), 104-109. https://doi.org/10.37506/ijfmt.v16i1.17426