Regional Tobacco Control Centre functioning under Prof. Savita Malhotra, at PGI, Department of Psychiatry under National Tobacco Control Programme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India, is organizing a one day training programme in tobacco cessation for doctors. Doctors from the Department of Health UT, Dental College, Chandigarh and from private sector will participate. The programme will be conducted in PGI on 18th December 2010 by Dr. Savita Malhotra. Experts from the Departments of Pulmonary medicine and Radio Therapy will also contribute.
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey of Govt. of India 2010, 35% of India’s population uses tobacco in some form or the other. Tobacco contains more than 5000 chemicals which are highly toxic to the extent of being lethal for human body. Tobacco is responsible for many serious physical illnesses such as cancer, heart attack, stroke, lung disease, pre mature aging, infertility, impotence and so on. According to WHO report every 6.5 seconds a current or a former smoker dies. 33% to 50% of smokers are killed by their habit. On an average a smoker dies 15 years sooner than a non smoker. Govt. of India has initiated a Nation wide programme “National Tobacco Control Programme” that envisages establishment of tobacco cessation facilities, enhancing awareness among public about the tobacco menace, empower physicians to treat tobacco addiction and to enforce anti tobacco laws “The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution”, enacted in 2003.