Category: Tobacco Marshal

The popular course is part of SAVE the Youth campaign to #knowtoabcco to empower the person with knowledge to be able to influence people to create public outrage against tobacco.

Inner Wheel District 307 Kick Starts SAVE The Youth Campaign

EMPOWERING WITH KNOWLEDGE, COLLABORATING TO ENHANCE THE REACH with this in mind Dr. Satinder Nijjar led this meeting as the Chairman, involving all the club Presidents of her district. Tobacco is bad it is general knowledge now, but knowing about it deeply increases the power to convince others. Collaborating and piggybacking on experts can enhance our reach. Empowering so that one can in turn reach out to the masses is the way forward to controlling this dreaded disease.

Mrs. Sonal Bhatia Inner Wheel AC member who achieved the feat of 1000 tobacco Marshals during her tenure as DC of district 310 in 2021-22 showcased her achievement, and the enthusiastic response of presidents to get involved in SAVE the Youth campaign and become tobacco MARSHALs themselves.

The tobacco MARSHAL of 310 have extensively worked in society and conducted numerous programs themselves in their own unique way in their local area that including rallies, painting competitions, school programs, etc.

MIME and Poster making competition was showcased on the 29th of MAY 2022, followed by the National Debate on IMPACT OF WOMEN AS TOBACCO MARSHAL had national dignitaries grace the occasion had laid the foundation and deeper understanding of how to create impacts at the grass root levels. The Training of rural girls NCC cadets as MINI – TOBACCO MARSHAL and Teachers was one such step towards this goal.  But this is just a drop in the large ocean. The tobacco mafia with its willful clever surrogate advertisement is sending cues to the young minds and every day 5500 youths in India are inducted into this net of tobacco use. To control these more people have to rise against this TAMBAKU – ASUR and women are the ones who can do it. With this in mind, Mrs. Sonal Bhatia has raised her bar and intends to create 10000 TOBACCO MARSHAL amongst her inner wheel sisters.

Chief Guest, *Dr. Surjit Kaur*, Inner Wheel Association President and National Representative, herself a doctor said that the health of women should be the priority, a healthy-women means a healthy family, healthy generations, and a healthy society. Tobacco is a national Disaster causing deaths across all ages, all communities, and all social strata. It causes harm not only to the self but to the family, spouse, colleagues, and entire community. She congratulated Mrs. Sonal and Mrs. Satinder to take up this issue at a larger level. She was also really happy to get involved with ICanCaRe as they have the readymade program to escalate the same quickly at the higher level. As the President and National Representative for the Inner Wheel Club, she extended her full support for the program and urged Sonal to introduce the same in other districts as well.

Chief Speaker, *Dr. Pawan Gupta* M.Ch. Director Cancer Surgeon MAX and Founder ICanCaRe said that women are the most affected due to tobacco use in society. Women spite not consuming tobacco exposed to tobacco she is affected at the home, workplace, or even in the community. The effect is – health, social, financial, and much more. Women are the savior of their families, and the next generation as well. If she is empowered with the knowledge she gains the decision and intervention power. It is pertinent that women should rise against this product of MASS destruction. Stronger Women Make a Stronger World.

The inner wheel will rise as the main force in to fight against tobacco. Becoming Tobacco MARSHAL is a step towards this reckoning.

Sonal said she totally believes that inner wheel sisters will be the change makers for this cause and she would look forward to making 10000 Tobacco Marshals and urged all present to partner for this.

All the 140 participants enthusiastically looked forward to becoming tobacco marshals and contributing their bit to society.

To a question whether IW members should call doctors for school programs, Dr. Pawan Gupta said that once trained tobacco MARSHALs will themselves independently conduct school sensitization programs and ICanCaRe would equip them with all the necessary materials.

District Chairman from other districts also participated actively they were DC Leena Chandwani 315, DC Renu Agarwal 311, DC Rita Jha -District 325, DC Dr. P Shri Madhavi Devi, National Editor Veena Swamy 21-22. They support Sonal Bhatia to achieve a goal of 10000 Tobacco MARSHALs and work actively in their districts.

District Secretary Mrs. Manmohan Suri, read the Vote of thanks and Dr. Satinder thanked everyone and concluded the meeting.

Master Of Ceremony, *Mrs. Shruti Agrawal*, MBA, CSO ICanCaRe was praised for her apt conduct of the program.

Women Power as a TOBACCO MARSHAL – Stree Shakti – INNER WHEEL District 310

ICanCaRe – INNER WHEEL District 310

The Responsibility of Being a TOBACCO MARSHAL

To win a battle we need skilled and armed Soldiers. Battle against the MAYAVI RAWAN TAMBAKU-ASUR has begun with Inner wheel District 310 taking the stride under the leadership of DC SONAL BHATIA.

The Winning battle is started, and the recruitment is on. The might of tambaku-asur cannot be underestimated – the manufacturers, the vendors, the poor farmers, irresponsible media, greedy actors, and poorly informed politicians. They are responsible for the death of around 3700 people every day. A death that is prolonged, painful, and kills the person and ruins the family.

The shakti is born in the form of SONAL BHATIA -sincere, dedicated, and determined. JO SOCCHTE , WHO KAHTE HAIN aur KAR KE DIKATE HAIN. The stubbornness of SONAL BHATIA is the death knell for tambakuasur. She is recruiting the SHEROES as tobacco MARSHAL to take the tambaku-asur head-on. The mighty clever asur with its ever-increasing tentacles needs a well-planned, determined skilled army, and when the NARI SHAKTI with SONAL BHATIA at the helm rises the winning of the battle is inevitable.

Each Tobacco MARSHAL is a unit of power. Doing their bit in their surroundings starting from their home protecting family and influencing the workers – maids, drivers, malli, stepping out to involve and influence others. BOOND – BOOND SE GHADA BAHRTA HAIN. The determination is clear the goal is set and responsibility defined – reach 3 teach 3 make India Tobacco Free.

We bow to the power of Women Shakti! We are with you Sonal.

 

I’m a Tobacco Marshal

ICanCaRe Tobacco Marshal certificate program has been designed for all the healthcare workers, teachers, social activists and others working at the grass root levels for the wellbeing and welfare of the society. This program empowers an individual to create awareness, become more vigilant about Tobacco use and it’s harms not only from the mainstream smoke but also from the second hand and third hand smoke.

We, the marshals, are the gamechangers and influencers in the society who shall be able to address the tobacco habit in an individual, address the concerns on the harms of tobacco use, address concerns on withdrawals, address the fear of quitting and ultimately incept the thought of quitting the habit at an early stage before severe damages are experienced by the tobacco consumer. We are responsible to encourage an individual to self-quit or seek professional assistance so that we can contribute towards a healthier nation.

With this certificate program, we are equipped with the adequate knowledge to create awareness among the youth that tobacco is a pernicious and neurobiological disease. One must refrain from it fully – even from the first experiment.

This program also taught me about e-cigarettes, now banned in the country but also available illegally; about its various forms and how to identify it. I can now help my friends and people around me, especially young children to identify it and not be enticed by strangers into consuming it.

Marshal is an officer of the highest rank in the armed forces. Hence the title itself suggests the level of responsibility that this title holds for each one of us. We must contribute towards a cleaner, greener and healthier community! Let’s be the Tobacco Marshals and unite together to fight against this disease!

This certificate program is an interactive training program of four hours consisting of 2 live sessions with the faculty.  It included many crucial and critical topics like: 

  • Understanding tobacco 
  • Understanding addiction
  • Understanding harms of tobacco use
  • Recognizing new forms of tobacco – e-cigarettes
  • Addiction recovery
  • Second hand (SHS) and third hand smoke (THS)
  • Contributing towards community welfare as Marshals

The most interesting part of the workshop was the session on SHS/THS that busted many myths and misconceptions about the same. Other interesting areas included e-cigarettes and hookah smoking that was very well explained by the faculty and clearly stated that these products contain nicotine and are equally harmful as other forms of tobacco. It was interesting to note that water in the hookah does not filter the chemicals and toxins, as against the common belief that it does.

We also learnt about identifying the signs and symptoms of tobacco use in young children and youth and how to address the same so that the individual can have the right intervention at the right time before experiencing any fatal damages. One can now quit by calling the helpline number 011-430-77695 or visiting the website here.

I heartily thank Rishabh sir, Pawan sir, Shruti ma’am, Reena ma’am and the entire team of ICanCaRe for kickstarting this wonderful initiative of freedom from slavery of tobacco and entrusting in me this responsibility of Tobacco Marshal to make a better India, a Swachh and Swasth India.