Shahrukh Khan flouting anti-tobacco laws: National Organisation of Tobacco Eradication (NOTE)

The National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) has hit out at Bollywood's King Khan for ignoring smoking laws and being repeatedly photographed smoking at various venues. "My main grievance is his arrogant demeanour with which he time and again decides to trample the law and smoke in places where he can be viewed and emulated by thousands of viewers when he can smoke privately," said Shekhar Salkar, General Secretary, National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE).

He added that Shahrukh's recent case, where he was spotted smoking in Sawai Man Singh stadium indicates 'his careless attitude towards his responsibilities as an influential personality'. NOTE noted that SRK has gone on record to say he wants to quit and says tobacco eradication counselling could help however Salkar adds, "In my personal opinion he would never be able to because of his all-knowing haughty persona." In the past NOTE had filed cases against Amitabh Bachchan for promoting smoking through his posters of the movie 'Family' and Ajay Devgan for being spotted smoking in public.

Salkar also feels that celebrities need to be taken to task for flouting anti-tobacco law. "Habitual offenders should be given harsher punishments and after three monetary fines in increasing levels. A repeat offence should be punishable for at least one day behind the bars," he said, adding this would deter the often habitual offenders like film stars who usually think they are above law and for whom the nominal fine is not a big deal.

A Jaipur court has served a summon to Shahrukh Khan and asked him to appear for a hearing on May 26 following a complaint by Anand Singh, head of Jaipur Cricket Academy who had sought action against Khan under section 5/11 of Rajasthan Prohibition of Smoking Act, 2000, which prohibits smoking at public places.

Smoking is the leading cause of cancer and other chronic diseases. 1 out of 3 cancer-related deaths are caused due to tobacco use. If SRK needs help quitting he could try various smoking cessation techniques like gums, lozenges, nicotine patches or electronic cigarettes.

Tobacco use is estimated to havecaused nearly 120,000 deathsacross India in 2010, according to research carried out by the Toronto-based Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR) in partnership with Mumbai's Tata Memorial Hospital. Nearly 600,000 Indians die of cancer every year over seven in 10 deaths (71 percent) takes place in the 30-69 age group, the most productive period of a person's life, says the report published in the latest issue of the Lancet medical journal. The study points out that Kerala had among the highest age standardised cancer mortality rates per 100,000 for men in the 30-69 age group (158.5 for all cancers and 53.9 for tobacco-related cancers).