Recognising the adverse impact of tobacco on health, experts from across the world Tuesday recommended adoption of national action plans to curb its use.
Sustained government commitment, continuous goal-setting and amendments to legislation based on periodic nationwide data on magnitude and patterns of smoking and smokeless tobacco use were suggested, according to a release.
They also favoured a steep hike in tobacco taxes.
The recommendations were made at the "International Conference on Public Health Priorities in the 21st Century: The Endgame for Tobacco," here last week.
A declaration issued after the conference said there should be mandatory training in health promotion and tobacco control in graduate and post-graduate level courses, especially for health professionals, social workers and teachers.