To sensitise people towards the use of tobacco and its products, the district health department has launched anti-tobacco signature campaign across the district.
Started under the national tobacco control programme, officials and employees of heath department initiated by signing the pledge not to use tobacco in any form.
Speaking on the occasion, chief medical officer Harinder Singh Bali said that this was a small effort to make people aware about the hazards of tobacco.
Dr HS Bali informed that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) report, 40 per cent of cancer cases registered were due to use of tobacco, while the percentage was much higher in case of mouth cancer as 90 percent cases of mouth cancer was due to chewing tobacco "Besides, the use of cigarette near expectant women is very dangerous as it adversely affect the health of mother and her child," he said.