Rajghat was flooded with bright banners which carried dark messages about the ills of cigarette smoking. Tobacco is another nuclear bomb, don't let it explode, Daddy, if you want to smoke please go out, Don't spoil our health were some of the slogans printed on small signboards carried by the children from various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like Sanjivini, SOS Village and Vidya.

The tired theme that has been manifested in innumerable rallies, seminars and schemes once again found a voice today, it being World No Tobacco Day. The idea, as always, was to create awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption on society in general and children in particular.

The children also appealed to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to enact the Smoking Prohibition Bill at the national level to prohibit smoking at public places. Representatives of the Delhi Medical Association (DMA), Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals and various NGOs will submit the memorandum signed by the children. In their appeal to the nation, the children said: ``We, the children of India, appeal to our parents to refrain from using tobacco in any form and help us to grow in a healthy, smoke-free India.

'' DMA president Dr Rajesh Chawla said: ``Every day 50,000 children take to smoking. Passive smoking causes asthma, bronchitis and increased incidence of pneumonia.'' Apollo Hospitals Group chairman Dr Prathap C. Reddy said, ``If we want our children to refrain from smoking, our words would not carry any conviction with them if we ourselves indulge in smoking.'' The rally was organised by DMA and the Apollo Hospitals Group, in keeping with the World Health Organisation theme of `growing up withouttobacco'.