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The Akal Drug De-Addiction Centres organised an online session with the students of Akal Academies of classes 9th to 12th to apprise them of the harms of tobacco to commemorate the ‘World No Tobacco Day’.
The session was held on Zoom from 1:15 to 2:00 p.m., which was addressed by Dr (Col) Rajinder Singh, Director, Akal Drug De-Addiction Centres, and S. Jagdeep Singh, Special Educator. Dr (Col) Rajinder Singh explained on how tobacco has become the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, accounting for the maximum number of deaths compared to all other intoxicants, while S. Jagdeep Singh explained to the students the values enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib and the Sikh Rehat Maryada ordaining the followers of Sikh faith to refrain from consumption and use of all types of intoxicants including tobacco. He also dwelt on the undesirable practice of ‘Bajar Kuraits’ which must be shunned to live up to the expectations of Sikh religion and ethics.
Dr (Col) Rajinder Singh pointed out that about 1 crore 20 lakh people die of drugs and substance use every year in the world, out of which 87 lakh die of nicotine poisoning. Nicotine is one of the deadliest ingredients of tobacco which is highly addictive and very hard to get rid of. Tobacco, which is one of the cheapest substances is easily available, making the adolescents and youth vulnerable to its use as a ‘gateway’ drug.
Dr (Col) Rajinder Singh added that even the horse ridden by Guru Gobind Singh Ji refused to cross over the field grown with tobacco crop. S. Jagdeep Singh gave the example of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, who had willed before his death, that the persons handling his dead body for the last rites must be those who did not use tobacco in any form. Eventually, only the Sikhs carried out his last rites and funeral because they did not use tobacco.
He further urged the students not to indulge in four ‘Bajar Kuraits’, which include not to shorn hair, not to consume ‘Kutha’ meat, not to consume tobacco or any other intoxicant, and treat all women, except their wives, as their mothers, sisters and daughters.
The students, principals and teachers of all Akal Academies participated in the event and vowed to follow the given advice.
