“Tobacco is harmful for health,” this is a known fact. But only a few people really embrace the rule and stop smoking.
In the Hanumangarh health department, prevention campaigns and awareness drives reached another level altogether. Recently the department decided to upscale their campaign operations.
The Hanumangarh health department zeroed in on a 12-year-old girl as the ‘brand ambassador’ of the quit tobacco campaign in the district. This decision was taken after the department ‘discovered’ an emotional letter written by the girl, Kashish, to her father to stop using tobacco.
The girl wrote a letter in the last week of February. She was hunted by the department through her neighbour, who works in a hospital. The girl was spotted by the department after she wrote a provoking letter to her father who consumed tobacco in ample amounts.
Kashish wrote: ” Mujhe aisa lagta hai jab main apke sapne pure kar rahi hongi, tab aap mere sath nahin honge. Mujhe pata hai, jo log cigarette peete hain tobacco khate hai, woh bahut jaldi mar jate hain (I feel papa that when I would be fulfilling your dreams, you won’t be with me. I know that those who smoke cigarettes and consume tobacco die early).” “I love you papa very much. I know you also love me equally. Please quit tobacco. Take my pledge,” she further added.
There are many harmful repurcussions of smoking:
- Smoking increases your heart rate and blood pressure and causes heart disease and heart attacks.
- Smokers have trouble breathing because smoking damages the lungs.
- If you have asthma, you can have more frequent and more serious attacks.
- Smoking causes coughing with phlegm (mucous).
- Tobacco can cause emphysema (lung disease) and lung cancer, among many others
The various efforts by the department will soon manifest in expected results. The Hanumangarh village shall witness a considerable drop in tobacco consumers.
