Need to
Make Work Place Tobacco Free
Today I had the opportunity to give a talk on "Need to make work place Tobacco Free" at the Indo
American Chamber of Commerce organised seminar at “Occupational Safety & Health Standards in Industries” at Regional
Labour Institute (Labour Court), Sector-47, Faridabad.
But why was I there? What
was I doing there? I should have been in the hospital attending to my patients and
operating of course increasing my bank balance! On the contrary I took a day
out to attend to a seminar.
Every day I see patients
in the OPD, patients come to me from all spheres – industrialists, entrepreneurs,
teachers, professionals, workers. It pains me to see young people presenting
with cancer and precancerous lesions. Some I operate some I have to turn down
because they have reached incurable state and sadly lot of these young patients
are incurable.
Young – they are in their
30’s or 40’s the age when they are having the maximum responsibilities – of
family, parents, work and at a time when they are supposed to build up their career.
But instead of taking responsibilities they become liabilities of the family.
Why so? Because they took to a habit unknowingly because of the peer pressure
or whatever may be the reason. This habit of tobacco (chewing or smoking) is
now become a disease. A disease which was preventable!!
When they started they did not know what was in store for
them, but when they realised that they are into a wrong habit it was late. I
ask them this question did you know that tobacco was bad for your health – 60%
say yes. (Most of the educated people are aware of the problem of tobacco).
When I ask them did you ever try to quit your tobacco habit – invariably 70% or
more of these patients have tried quitting some time in their life. But failed,
failed multiple times. Failed because they did not get the right guidance at
the right time. This is the pity.
In India, smoking is completely banned in many public places
and workplaces such as healthcare, educational, and government facilities and
on public transport.
It has been
seen whenever we have approached factory owner to organize a tobacco awareness
program, the owners feel it a waste of time! The question they ask “ how will I
benefit by making my factory tobacco free”. On the contrary some of the owners
encourage tobacco to make the worker work longer!
Does the management benefit by making the workplace tobacco
free? Yes they do.
• More Efficient & Productive - Tobacco decreases the
productivity by slowly and gradually decreasing the efficiency of tobacco user
by affecting the blood regulation and blood pressure.
• Less Absenteeism - It spreads of diseases like
tuberculosis and other infection, chronic diseases including cardiovascular,
respiratory, hypertension, cancer and hundreds of studies can corroborate this
fact.
• Low Premium on Health Insurance - Tobacco causes many diseases and
hence increases the number of medical claims which affects the premium amount.
• Low Cleaning Cost – Tobacco users spit on walls,
corners, throw cigarette butts which leave stains and require frequent cleaning
and painting.
• Positive Environment – A healthy and clean environment
motivates the employees, it spreads positivity.
A single step can change the whole economy of the
organisation!!
During the interactive session that followed I had the opportunity
to learn lot many issues concerning workers. Issues which are probably of more immediate
concern that can lead to acute loss of life or organ of the worker. These are issues which need to be taken care
because there is legal binding. No wonder tobacco is not of prime importance to
the factory owner, it does not cause acute loss of life or organ. Still I would
say that the role of tobacco cannot be underestimated. It is a silent killer.
It affects not just the person but the people around him also. Day in and day
out I see such young people whose life is devastated.
I through I CAN WIN Foundation am committed to help these
young people before it is too late. I CAN WIN Foundation has launched - “Tobacco
Free India” initiative to make India – Healthy, Clean, Beautiful and Liveable.
The program consists of making
youths aware of the risk of tobacco and pledge not to take any form of tobacco.
For tobacco addicts, the program will help in quitting through scientific evidence
based methods. A book “WIN OVER TOBACCO – Made Easy” is made available to help
win over the disease. The Program has two parts:
1
Be smart not to start!
2 Win
over tobacco and start living!
The “I CAN WIN FOUNDATION” has been conducting programs on lifestyle
modification including anti-tobacco campaign towards its mission to win over
cancer.
I am not alone I am joined by number of Cancer winners’ and
young people, like Vishesh, Geetika, Mahesh, Vivek, Shruti, Sanjeev, Rajit,
Shruti, Pratyush, Naresh , Ishaan,Mohit, Rishab who could see the pain. Each
one of them has taken this as personal social responsibility. Would you be a
part of the campaign?
We are building up the audience through our facebook. I urge you to join our page www.facebook.com/icanwin.org
like it and share it with your friends. This can be just your first step
towards making our India healthy, clean, beautiful and liveable.
Yes I know this is
not enough, more has to be done, and it will be done with more people like you
joining the campaign.
I thank Mr Ashish Wig for giving me an oppurtunity to present myself at the Interactive Seminar.
I am committed.
Dr Pawan Gupta
9811290152
