“Smoking kills 900,000 people in India every year, 2,500 people in a day and 102 people every hour. And 40% of all cancer cases in India are due to smoking,” says Dr Sajeela Maini, president of the Tobacco Control Foundation of India .
Dr Maini runs a cessation clinic at a private hospital in Delhi. She has worked with about 5,000 people in the past decade and runs special group sessions for public and private organizations. “I get patients from 12 years to 75 years, both men and women. My programme helps them quit in the first stage, and in the second it is to ensure that they remain quitted,” she says.
“The ban on smoking in public places is a good idea, but my biggest worry is that the smokers will now start smoking more at home.” The main intend of the ban is to protect the passive smokers. I am really glad that the Indian Government passed such a law. My brother was in India this summer and he told me it was unbelievable how many people were smoking. I understand the people’s concern that a law alone – a piece of paper – is not going to stop people from smoking, it is a first step. I agree that laws should always be accompanied by resources to make sure that a particular law is followed and implemented. If India can spare such resources, it should, as it would show the citizens they mean business. When smoking indoors was banned in Italy, I thought it would never work as Italian people are well known for not wanting to follow rules. It took longer than in the US, but when I visit now I do see a difference. Sure, it took lots for tickets and resources to make sure the non-smoking law was observed, but now people really turned around. And the fact that smokers feel like Pariahs is actually good thing, as it will maybe stimulate them to quit. I did notice that even here, in the United States, usually you see a lonely person outside of a restaurant smoking, while before it was considered a “bonding” experience. Now it is almost frowned upon, which will help eliminate the problem, or at least diminish it.
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