Tata, Ambani, Fadnavis lend support to 'no tobacco' campaign

Top industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Ratan Tata as also Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a number of prominent personalities and NGOs today came together to call for efforts to check the tobacco menace.
Tata Memorial Hospital and several NGOs are among those who are part of the 'Coalition Against Tobacco' which is supported by industry veterans.
The coalition has been launched today ahead of the 'No Tobacco Day' tomorrow.
Noting that Maharashtra is one of the worst tobacco- affected states, Fadnavis said the state government has taken a lead in tobacco control with several firm steps such as ban on e-cigarettes and scented products.

Estimates show that around 10 lakh Indians die from tobacco-related diseases each year.
"Many non-communicable diseases are attributable to tobacco addiction. Tata Trusts fully supports the government's efforts to control this social evil. It upsets me to see sole bread winners of families falling prey to this menace," Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata said in a release.
The need of the hour is to lay greater emphasis on cancer prevention and early detection. It is better to prevent tobacco addiction and related diseases as it would enable India to reduce the cost of health care and increase overall productivity, he added.

"I am deeply saddened to see so many instances of cancer in India due to consumption of tobacco. As a country we need to educate all Indians on the ill-effects of addiction to any form of tobacco," Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani said.