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0 Guwahati, October 2: On the eve of Gandhi jayanti, Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum, Assam (CLPF) in association with Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Consumer Voice, New Delhi organized a Webinar to mark 12th Anniversary of Smoke Free Rules in India with the Civil Society Organizations and Medical Professionals on Making Assam a Tobacco Free State today.
The webinar was attended by more than 56 civil society organizations from 33 districts of Assam along with the participants from the other state of India. The inaugural speech was delivered by Dr. Munindra Narayan Baruah, Managing Director, North East Cancer Hospital & Research Institute, Guwahati on “how to make Assam a Tobacco Free State”. Advocate Ajoy Hazarika, Secretary, CLPF moderate the webinar.
Participating as a resource person, Dr. Amlan Das from Jorhat ; Dr. Partha Roy from Bongaigaon ; Dr. Bhaktimay Bhattacharyya from Jorhat ; Dr. Firoz Iftekhar Ahmed from Chirang ; Dr. Samsul Haque from Mongaldoi ; Dr. N.k. Beria from Darrang and Dr.Kaberi kakati, Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati delivered speeches on “Tobacco is a killer. What are the best ways to prevent children & teens from taking their first try?” Other speakers delivered speeches in different topics like Narendar Kumar, Principal Consultant (State Policy) CTFK on “Smoke free Rules and what are the gaps”, Ranjit Singh, Legal expert, Supreme Court of India on “ legal aspect in tobacco control” Ashim Sanyal, COO, Consumer Voice on “Understanding Tobacco industry tactics, and mapping key stakeholders for Tobacco Free Assam”.
Speakers expressed their concern about the increasing number of smoking and non smoking tobacco product users basically among the youth in Assam day by day. Representatives of various civil society organizations form different district of Assam agreed to work together to fight against the effects of tobacco and make Assam a tobacco Free State.