A top government official on Monday urged the chairmen of different municipalities in and around the city to insulate children from the illeffects of tobacco.

Dr S Elango, director of Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, made the appeal at a workshop for municipal heads on the effective implementation of the Cigarettes and Tobacco Control Act, 1993. Tobacco, he pointed out, was one of the main killers in the world. Citing the Global Youth Survey 2006, he said 14.1% children between 13-15 years of age smoke throughout the world.

He urged the municipal chiefs to ensure that the non-smoking areas are specified and posters put up in public places, especially school zones.

The community should take up the responsibility to drive away tobacco-related problems by avoiding consumption, he said. The use of tobacco during auspicious events like weddings should also be avoided, he added.

Talking about the global scenario, he said that while tobacco consumption has decreased in the developed world it has increased in the developing world. Developed countries are exporting tobacco products to India, he said.

Studies show that 80% of smoking is happening in developing countries as compared to 20% in the developed ones.

There are one billion smokers in the world and 100 million people have died due to tobacco consumption in the 20th century alone, he pointed out.