SHILLONG:
To commemorate the World No-Tobacco Day on May 31, students of St. Peter’s Higher Secondary School, Shillong, organised a rally and signature campaign against tobacco use in the city.
The awareness rally, that began from the school campus in Dhankheti passed through Don Bosco Square before culminating at the school premise.
During the rally, students of Class XII, holding banners and placards marched on the streets sensitising people about the ill effects of consuming tobacco.
The students also distributed information leaflets to the public about why tobacco usage should be discouraged.
Speaking to The Meghalayan, principal of the school, J Syiem, said that the rally and signature campaign was organised to create mass awareness about tobacco menace among the local people.
”We see a lot of young people smoking in front of the institution. It is a real eyesore for not only for the students, but the teachers as well. We have been holding a lot of lectures and talks to get the campus area tobacco-free,” she said.
When asked as per Global Adult Tobacco Survey, Meghalaya alone comes under 47 per cent of tobacco consumers, she said that spreading awareness about the ill effects of tobacco is the key to get people out of this “dangerous” addiction, especially, the youth.
”I urge the youth and people of the state to refrain from using tobacco,” she added.
A student from Class XII, Kenny Stewart Kharkongor, said, “We must understand how harmful cigarettes are. In a bid to look ‘cool’, people are ignoring the harm it is doing to their health,” he said.