“I used to smoke 40 cigarettes a day. But after I became an MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly), I quit smoking. So if you (youth) are addicted to bad habits, I request you to quit them immediately,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday, October 15.
He was speaking after launching Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0, an awareness programme organised by the State NSS (National Service Scheme) Cell and the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, in association with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, in Bengaluru, Karnataka, stated the report by The New Indian Express.
Siddaramaiah, who administered the oath against tobacco use, urged the youth to stick to it (oath) and encourage others to do so.
“If you are addicted to drugs and alcohol, quit them immediately. This is my request to the youth of Karnataka. You should be aware of the harmful effects of tobacco, drugs and alcohol,” Siddaramaiah said.
The state government is exploring ways to amend the laws to tackle the drug menace effectively. Efforts will be made to make those laws more stringent, he said.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO) report, 13.5 lakh people die because of tobacco use. Fifty per cent of those who consume tobacco get cancer, he said.
Stating that the drug menace is rampant in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi and Dharwad, Siddaramaiah said that his government has taken measures to curb it, stated The New Indian Express report.
