In a message to the people of Gujarat, he said that children generally adopt this habit from their elder siblings or parents out of curiosity. Quoting a survey carried out in Delhi, he said the proportion of school children consuming tobacco in any form in the national capital was as high as 90 per cent.

"Parents are the role models for children and if they quit tobacco or do not consume in their presence then children would not adopt this habit," he said, adding that the theme of this year's World No Tobacco Day will be “Save Children From Tobacco’s Ill Effects”.

Pointing out that the annual increase in tobacco consumption in the country is around five to seven per cent and every year nearly eight lakh people lose their lives to this habit, he said, tobacco consumers not only put their life at risk but also pose great hardship to their families.

He said that every year, about fifteen lakh people die due to cancer, 42 lakh die due to heart ailments and 37 lakh succumb to respiratory diseases.