Bhubaneswar: Wherever we travel in Odisha, be it Bhubaneswar or Cuttack, or the rural areas, we notice one common thing – a large part of the population is addicted to tobacco.
Even a decade ago, a young woman smoking in Bhubaneswar was quite a rare sight. With changing societal norms, the number of female smokers has significantly increased. Moreover, hookahs and e-cigarettes have also become a trend among urban youth. Concerned over it, a young school teacher is working hard towards making a tobacco-free society.
At a time when teenagers of his age go for smoking and chewing tobacco because they find it cool, Ganjam-based Nirakar Bisoi works hard to create tobacco-free campuses in educational institutions. Besides, he holds anti-tobacco awareness campaigns in villages. Since 2018, Nirakar has been campaigning meticulously for the noble cause.
This man’s mission to create a tobacco-free society has earned kudos from intellectuals. In a candid conversation with Ommcom News, Nirakar talks about his journey and mission.
“Thanks to rampant consumption of tobacco products, the number of people suffering from oral cancer in our village has seen a rise for the last few years. Some of them have also succumbed to the deadly disease. Perturbed over it, I decided to create anti-tobacco awareness campaigns in villages particularly. Later, I started visiting educational institutes as part of measures to keep school and college students away from tobacco consumption”, said Nirakar who has helped 25 youths in his locality quit tobacco forever.
Briefing the reason behind the surge in tobacco consumption among youths, he said, “The tobacco industry’s advertisements, and other promotions for its products are a big influence in our society. The tobacco industry spends billions of dollars each year to create and market advertisements that show smoking as exciting, glamorous, and safe. Movies showing people smoking are another big influence. Studies show that young people who see smoking in movies are more likely to go for smoking.”
“When I approached people residing in villages requesting them not to consume tobacco, they told me that people consuming tobacco are much healthier than people consuming it. It hurts when people around us made fun of me for taking up the issue”, said Nirakar who has been felicitated by the Centre for Youth and Social Development.
Nirakar has also faced the wrath of betel shopkeepers when he advised them not to sell tobacco products as part of measures to curb tobacco consumption among children.
Meanwhile, Nirakar has started a new drive ‘Tambakhu Chhadantu, Gachha Lagantu’. He encourages people not to consume tobacco. Instead, they spend money being used for buying tobacco products in the head of tree plantation. He has planted 2500 trees so far.
By Rashmi Rekha Das
