A recent study by WHO says more than 55 % of 13 to 15 year olds worldwide,take to smoking lured by advertisements on billboards and 20 % of them owned an item with the logo of a cigarette brand.This clearly shows Ads have a great influence on youngsters. The Ad companies target 80 % of the youth of the developing countries.
The May issue of 'American journal of Health Behaviour' says there is a clear connection between exposure to tobacco Ads and consumption.The tobacco companies are falsely associating use of tobacco products ,with qualities such as glamour,energy and sex appeal.No wonder that Ramdoss says the celebrity movie stars portraying cigarette smoking scene,will have a bad influence on the country's youth.
Some appalling statistics on the dreaded puff
The May issue of 'American journal of Health Behaviour' says there is a clear connection between exposure to tobacco Ads and consumption.The tobacco companies are falsely associating use of tobacco products ,with qualities such as glamour,energy and sex appeal.No wonder that Ramdoss says the celebrity movie stars portraying cigarette smoking scene,will have a bad influence on the country's youth.
Some appalling statistics on the dreaded puff
- smoking is expected to kill 10 lakh people annually in india from 2010.
- smoking will be the primary cause behind one in five of all male deaths and one in twenty of all female deaths in India
- nearly 70% of these one million deaths,will die young.
- over 50% of tobacco deaths will occur in illiterate men or women. 80% of them residing in rural India.
- There are nearly 12 crore smokers in India .Smoking kills 1 lakh females and 6lakh males in India every year, between the ages 30 to 69.
Who else other than Anbumani Ramdoss, the union Health Minister,could be concerned over this?. Traditionally, movies,film stars and celebrities have a great influence on the country's youth.They tend to imitate their hairstyle,gait,dress,six pack physique,smoking etc,etc.What does it show?.They don't think it is just a film.They imitate them in real life.The argument that it is just a portrayal of a character is lost,when some one imitates them in real life . It is something beyond that.Film stars would do an yoeman service by avoiding such scenes in their movies.This appeal is made by an Union Health Minister of a country where the tobacco menace has reached a dangerous level.Anbumani Ramdoss is not making this appeal in his personal capacity .He is making this appeal as the Union Health Minister .I feel it is perfectly appropriate .
Ramdoss's adversaries say, there are other pressing issues to be addressed by the union Health Minister on priority.Amitabh Bachan has asked Ramdoss, to try to sell his ideas to government staff first. This is absurd .Agree ,there are other important issues before the Health Ministry.But that doesn't mean the Health Minister should not talk about,the ill effects of smoking and the influence of film stars on the country's youth on smoking . Besides, so far, Ramdoss has aired his views on this,only in appropriate forums.
Central government and many state governments have made documentaries in regional languages using many popular film stars, throughout India, for family planning campaigns ,to eradicate polio , to promote literacy ,to fight AIDS ,to create awarenes on many social problems/evils.Why was it done ?.Only because the film stars have a great influence on the public . On the same ground, Anbumani Ramdoss is making this appeal to the Actors to refrain from acting in scenes depicting cigarette smoking.Remember he is making only an appeal.An appeal for a good cause.Why should the actors get offended ?.Their defence is that creativity of a film maker, should not be curbed.I don't think,refraining from depicting a smoking scene would curb the creativity of a film maker .
Pandit Nehru and Kamaraj were believed to be smokers.But they have never smoked in public gaze. Why did they refrain from public smoking ? They did not want to set a bad example to others. Because they were role models,to many youngsters of their time.Obviously many film stars are role models to many of our youngsters.I feel Anbumani Ramdoss,in his capacity as Union Health Minister is perfectly right,in making this appeal to the film personalities.Despite taunts,jeers and criticism ,he is steadfast in his views. Great! Ramdoss ,carry on your crusade against smoking .
Ramdoss's adversaries say, there are other pressing issues to be addressed by the union Health Minister on priority.Amitabh Bachan has asked Ramdoss, to try to sell his ideas to government staff first. This is absurd .Agree ,there are other important issues before the Health Ministry.But that doesn't mean the Health Minister should not talk about,the ill effects of smoking and the influence of film stars on the country's youth on smoking . Besides, so far, Ramdoss has aired his views on this,only in appropriate forums.
Central government and many state governments have made documentaries in regional languages using many popular film stars, throughout India, for family planning campaigns ,to eradicate polio , to promote literacy ,to fight AIDS ,to create awarenes on many social problems/evils.Why was it done ?.Only because the film stars have a great influence on the public . On the same ground, Anbumani Ramdoss is making this appeal to the Actors to refrain from acting in scenes depicting cigarette smoking.Remember he is making only an appeal.An appeal for a good cause.Why should the actors get offended ?.Their defence is that creativity of a film maker, should not be curbed.I don't think,refraining from depicting a smoking scene would curb the creativity of a film maker .
Pandit Nehru and Kamaraj were believed to be smokers.But they have never smoked in public gaze. Why did they refrain from public smoking ? They did not want to set a bad example to others. Because they were role models,to many youngsters of their time.Obviously many film stars are role models to many of our youngsters.I feel Anbumani Ramdoss,in his capacity as Union Health Minister is perfectly right,in making this appeal to the film personalities.Despite taunts,jeers and criticism ,he is steadfast in his views. Great! Ramdoss ,carry on your crusade against smoking .
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