After years of booing actors who light up on screen, anti-tobacco activists seem to have found something to cheer about in Aamir Khan’s `Ghajini’. The recently released film is sending out a no-smoking message, earning kudos from long-time crusaders on Saturday.

According to research, 52% of children have their first puff after watching a celebrity light up. Moreover, Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss had requested Bollywood filmmakers to not show actors smoking on screen.

“We appreciate the efforts of and thank A Murugadoss, the director of `Ghajini’ and Aamir Khan for highlighting such an important issue,” said Dr P C Gupta, director of the Healis-Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health, who has been in the forefront of the campaign to ban smoking in public places.

In the film, the character played by Jiah Khan is walking down the steps of a mall when she spots some men blowing smoke in people’s faces inside the mall. The camera then pans to a `No Smoking’ board before Jiah says, “Yahan smoking allowed nahi hain.”

When contacted, Murugadoss said, “I have never encouraged smoking in my films. If you look at this film, even the negative characters don’t smoke. In fact, the scene in the film that does have smoking is actually against it.” The director added, “Youngsters worship actors and follow them blindly. So I always try to project my actors in a manner that his or her character does not glorify things which are not good.”

Aamir himself said a balance should be struck between discouraging smoking and ensuring artistic freedom. “I fully support the drive to help people to quit smoking and I would strongly advise the youth not to get into this harmful habit in the first place. However, I don’t think a ban on smoking in films makes sense. Films are a creative medium and are meant to reflect different aspects of life, good and bad. Murder is illegal in real life, but we don’t put a ban on it in films. But we should definitely make every effort to discourage smoking in real life.”

» SIGNATURES

Y4H resolved at the end of GYM 2006, to work in a concerted way to promote smoke-free public places in each country. Y4H members will start advocacy activities to get such a law enacted, incase such a law does not exist in their country. In countries where such a law exists, Y4H members will advocate for its effective implementation and its expansion to include public transport. They will conduct community education campaigns to promote smoke free environments also in home and private transport, so as to protect youth from the dangers of second hand smoke.

Youth from 11 different states of India along with a local NGO in each city, will be engaged in the following activities:

• Capacity Building of 11 NGOs and Coordination of Y4H activities
• Tobacco free schools and homes
• Tobacco Free Communities: Community Mobilization
• Smoke –Free Public Places: Smoke-Free Restaurants Campaign
• E-connectivity and e- Advocacy.
• Policy-Maker Advocacy
• Media Advocacy
• E-petitioning
• Developing Evidence Based Advocacy Manual

• Global smoke free campaigns: Y4H resolved at the end of GYM 2006, to work in a concerted way to promote smoke-free public places in each country. Y4H members will start advocacy activities to get such a law enacted, incase such a law does not exist in their country. In countries where such a law exists, Y4H members will advocate for its effective implementation and its expansion to include public transport. They will conduct community education campaigns to promote smoke free environments also in home and private transport, so as to protect youth from the dangers of second hand smoke.

  These year long smoke-free advocacy efforts of Y4H members at each country level will be evaluated by a committee of 5 global tobacco control experts. Best performing countries and individuals will be recognized on the Y4H website. They would also be invited to the launch of World No Tobacco Day 2008 (31^st May 2008) at WHO- Headquarters in Geneva, to share their experiences with the press. This partnership with WHO-HQ will be coordinated by GYM secretariat at HRIDAY-SHAN.
  
  

• Peer to peer learning to prevent HIV/AIDS among youth: Y4H members at each country level and in 11 states in India will undertake concerted advocacy to involve their peer groups and communities to support and participate in their campaign for HIV prevention among youth. Life skills education will be delivered to this youth network and peer to peer learning will be promoted, as these young activists take on leadership role in HIV/AIDS prevention in India and other countries. These activities are envisaged to be implemented in a span of one and a half years and would be evaluated in terms of change in the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of youth through qualitative and quantitative measures including, pre and post activity questionnaire administration.

• Policies for Promoting Healthy Eating: Healthy eating habits can prevent from chronic diseases and lifestyle related disorders including cardiac problems and  diabetes. Y4H would work towards promoting policies for reduction of unhealthy fats and promotion of nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables.
  
• Policies for promoting Physical Activity: An urgent need is felt  for contemporary policies on urban planning, education and sports activity focusing on promotion of regular physical activity, which Y4H aims to work towards.