New Delhi, June 1, 2015: STAIRS, India’s largest NGO working towards the upliftment of underprivileged youth organized an Anti-Tobacco awareness campaign on the occasion of World anti-Tobacco Day on 31st May, 2015. The drive was conducted in collaboration with Delhi Police in Tugalkabad Railway Colony, Prahalad Pur, New Delhi.

“A large number of youngsters from the underprivileged sections of society are losing their life due to their inability to afford cure for diseases arising out of tobacco consumption. Hence, it is paramount that all the stakeholders of society come together and take this challenge head on. The awareness campaign against tobacco is a step in that direction, an attempt to percolate the message that tobacco consumption will only spell doom for those who consume it.”” Said Mr. Siddhartha Upadhyay, Founder and Secretary General, STAIRS.

A range of activities were conducted to highlight the ill effects of tobacco consumption which included:

• Public figures and dignitaries joined hands to create awareness amongst the youth about the dangers of tobacco addiction.
• An oath promising tobacco-free world was administered on this occasion.
• Youngsters were invited to share their views on the dangers associated with tobacco consumption
• An exhibition showing the ill effects of tobacco consumption was on display.
• Representatives from STAIRS along with members of Delhi police also shared their view about the ill effects of tobacco and drug addiction.
• Cartons of tobacco products were set afire to spread the message of a tobacco-free world.

For this initiative, NGO STAIRS partnered with Delhi Police to organize this campaign as part of Delhi Police’s initiative Yuva. The initiative is a one of its kind programme aimed towards the welfare of the youth from the underprivileged section of the society. STAIRS has been associated with Yuva since December 2012.

“We are thankful to the Delhi Police, who have joined hands with us to fight the tobacco menace. They are doing a commendable job through their Yuva program that aims to reach out to the underprivileged youth in the capital through various activities”, added Mr. Upadhyay.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) tobacco kills nearly six million people annually. According to open media source in India each day 5500 youth initiate tobacco use, 2500 Indians die daily due to tobacco-related diseases and 10 lakh Indians die annually due to diseases caused by tobacco. A paper by Harvard Medical School, Boston states that 35% of adult population and 14.1 % of children aged 13-15 years are tobacco users in India.

STAIRS has been fighting against the use of any form of drugs including tobacco since they are addictive and injurious to health. Over the year, through STAIRS against Drugs (SAD), STAIRS has helped in the rehabilitation of number of youngsters through the medium of sports and help them channelize their energies for personal and economic growth.

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