Health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey inaugurates the seminar on Tuesday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, May 31: Experts today advocated stringent laws for people addicted to tobacco and sought inclusive participation of the government and non-government organisations to help people get rid of the deadly habit.

The strong recommendation was made today at a seminar on World Anti-Tobacco Day, organised by Mahavir Cancer Sansthan. Many distinguished personalities participated in the meet.

Dr J.K. Singh, the director of Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, said: “Tobacco, undoubtedly, stands as the biggest enemy of the humanity today. While in every six seconds a tobacco-addict dies in the world, in India a tobbaco-addict dies every 40 seconds.

“Every year around 10 lakh new patients come to Mahavir Cancer Sansthan for treatment. The figures may increase in future if the problem is not taken seriously. If only smoking is prohibited, then the mortality rate will drop by 50 per cent,” Singh added.

Health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, who was present at the seminar, said: “We need to start a revolution against tobacco products and intellectuals of the society need to head this.”

He added: “It is good that doctors have initiated efforts to evict tobacco from society. But they should also remember not to follow the habit themselves as people always look up to them. They should therefore be careful in their habits.”

Singh said: “Today, youngsters aged between 20 and 25 are the highest consumers of tobacco products. People who inhale the smoke from smokers around them are 20 per cent more prone than the actual smokers. In Patna alone, tobacco-addicts consumes guthka worth Rs 300 crore in a year.”

Choubey said the state government is thinking to celebrate 2011 as anti-tobacco year with emphasis on to reach the drive to remote villages in the state and make Bihar tobacco and smoking free.

Dr S.P. Srivastava, former head of department, paediatrics, Patna Medical College and Hospital, also gave a PowerPoint presentation on the various ill effects of tobacco at the seminar.