Students meet PM for anti-tobacco drive....

Indian Express, Express Newsline, New Delhi, Sunday, September 13, 1998

The memorandum signed by nearly 25,000 school students belonging to various public and government schools appealed to initiate measures to usher in a tobacco free society.

About 50 Students represented their respective schools under SHAN(Student Health Action Network) to lead the delegation to the Prime Minister. “He liked what we are doing and asked us to continue with it,” said Class VIII student Abhishek of Ryan International.

Though he has not promised categorically on the issue of banning the advertisements, he acknowledged the harmful affects of tobacco.

“We do not want him to ban the advertisements as we do realise his limitations. What we want is his influence to promote anti-smoking campaigns.” Said a Naval Public School student Anshu. What students want is not to force their ideas upon anyone but influence policies and programmes relevant to their present and future health. They need an increase in the awareness programmers to inform the public about the harmful effects of smoking.

Dr K.S. Reddy, the brain behind this project, ensured that children were not forced to take part in the delegation. “Sincere dedication to work for the development for a healthier society brought them in,” he said.

SHAN commenced the campaign in the form of inter school debates on governmental action to ban tobacco advertisement. A consensus was reached to encourage students to actively articulate demands for appropriate governmental policy.

The activities of SHAN are facilitated by an advisory group consisting of doctors, nutritionists and social scientists from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and teachers.