A group of students and teachers on Wednesday urged the government of Assam to implement tobacco-vendor licensing and strictly ban smokeless tobacco products to save the lives of the younger generation.

The students and teachers made the appeal while attending a daylong sensitisation programme on tobacco, organised by the consumers’ legal protection forum, Assam to mark No Smoking Day at Beltola. The focus of the progra-mme was to make the students aware about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption.

Forum secretary advocate Ajoy Hazarika said 34.3 per cent of the minors, especially among the age group of 13 to 15 years, consume tobacco and tobacco products.

“Nearly one crore people in the Assam consume tobacco and tobacco products. Altogether 32,000 cancer cases are detected every year in the state, of which 70 per cent are found at an advanced stage, leading to a high mortality rate of 40-50,” Hazarika said.

The teachers also urged the state government to introduce a chapter in the school curriculum.

The event was organised in association with Consumer Voice, New Delhi.