By: Bhupinder ‘Bo’ Singh | Opinion |
World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the harmful effects of consumption of tobacco and its products and dedicated May 31 as No Tobacco Day.
Tobacco claims the lives of as many as half of its users and kills over eight million people every year, says WHO.
We, the Sikhs, are really thankful that our Guru’s asked to abstain from it. The Sikh Rehat Maryada which provides guidelines for code of conduct has clearly spelled out against its consumption in Chapter X – Beliefs, Observances, Duties, Taboos and Ceremonies, Sub-section J as under:
j. A Sikh must not take hemp (cannabis), opium, liquor, tobacco, in short, any intoxicant. His only routine intake should be food.
This day is dedicated to spreading awareness about the adverse effects of consuming tobacco. The day also aims to encourage people to quit tobacco in any form and lead a healthier life.
For Sikhs this acts a reminder for the edicts of our Gurus not to consume tobacco products not just personally and lead a healthier life but also spread the message to others. Thus, we can help in not just making our families lead a healthier life but also help in creating a healthier world.
This is also a sewa in creating a healthier world. Afterall, the Sikh’s prayer is for welfare of entire mankind and on this day:
- We can thank our Gurus for making us aware of harmful effects of tobacco products and excluding it from the list of items to be consumed and putting it on the banned list.
- This year the WHO’s theme is “Grow food, not tobacco”. They have embarked on a global campaign aimed to raise awareness about alternative crop production and marketing opportunities for tobacco farmers and encourage them to grow sustainable, nutritious crops.
- Support WHO’s campaign to expose the tobacco industry’s efforts to interfere with attempts to substitute tobacco growing with sustainable crops, thereby contributing to the global food crisis.
- Encouraging smokers and other consumers of tobacco products to give up this unhealthy habit thus adopting healthier lifestyle.
Let us all pray to make our world a healthier place by ridding it of harmful tobacco.
Bhupinder ‘Bo’ Singh, Houston. Born in Bhamo, Myanmar, he now lives in Houston, US, where he runs a manufacturing company formed with his son. A mechanical engineer by training, he has authored a number of books, including Connecting with the Master – A collection of essays on topics related to Sikhism (2006) and In Bully’s Eyes – An Illustrated Children’s book on Bullying (2019).
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