The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Indian Gutkha is a mix of Crushed-Arecanut, Tobacco, dry-lime, Spices, Sweetening Agents. It is a Chewing Tobacco. It is more harmful than a plain tobacco. This product is popular among children and adolescents. This deadly-product is mosltly consumed by illiterates and under-educated. Near Tiruchirapalli(India), around 200 families of Nomadic(Gipsy) families are living in a small-village. They are wholly-illiterates for generations, leading a very sub-standard and ill-healthy life-style. Almost 100% of the people are generous-users of all Tobacco products and Alcohol. Gutkha consumption has got a Social Sanction among their children. The Gutkha-fire is spreading like an epidemic among these Nomadic-people, especially among children. Hence the need for a strong intervention.

Methods: With the active-participation and assistance of youths of the local Rotaract-Club, Anti-Tobacco Awareness & Motivation Campaigns were arranged for these Nomadics, along with a Powerpoint Presentation with striking images, depicting the ill-effects of Tobacco-smoking and consumption of Gutkha & other forms of Smokeless-Tobacco. Of course, one truck-load of information is equal to one gory-image.

Results: At the end of the day, around 50 Nomadic-elders through all the Tobacco products in their possession into a Bon-fire and undertook a public vow NOT to touch any Tobacco Products henceforth. Also, more than 30 children who had witnessed the presentation made a public-promise that they would not taste these products anymore and would not go to shops for buying these products for their parents. Immediate actions by the Government(s) curbing/banning GUTKHA and other Smokeless tobacco products, shall definitely save millions of innocent people.