Port Blair, Sept 19: Living On The Edge (LOTE), an NGO, has demanded complete Ban on Sale of Tobacco and its products in entire A& N islands as it was done in 2013.
In a letter addressed to the Lt Governor of A& N Islands Prof Jagdish Mukhi, the President of LOTE- Living On The Edge has demanded for complete Ban on Sale of Tobacco and its products.
“The lavish sale of tobacco & its products has made a substantial change in the lifestyle of people of these islands especially the students and working class people. Even the tribals are getting addicted to these tobacco products, access to which is very easy for them as well. A complete ban on Tobacco & its bye products will also help in raising the standard of living of these islands beside making it a Cleaner & better islands to be a part of Swatch Bharat Mission,” the president of LOTE said in his letter.
He added that Health services may save a lot, if ban is imposed on sale of tobacco and its products. Treatment & referral cost for specialised treatment in mainland hospital for several diseases arising due to tobacco like Cancer, heart attack, asthama etc will be curtailed.
The LOTE has requested the Lt.Governor of the island to impose a complete Ban on Tobacco and its products by 2/10/16, an auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
