MiD DAY took up the issue to knock out the habit of smoking from the lives of Mumbaikars by running a three-week long campaign urging Mumbaikars to kick the butt.
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MiD DAY Smoke Free Mumbai was to encourage people of the city to make Mumbai smoke free for 24 hours on World No Tobacco Day.


Spreading awareness at Phoenix Mills with Shaina NC

On May 31, 2011 - World No Tobacco Day, a blue ribbon was given along with every copy of MiD DAY to all its readers to participate and encourage others to quit smoking.

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Singer Shibani Kashyap

1,25,000 pledges were received from Mumbaikars and various organizations and celebrities pledged to participate in Smoke Free Mumbai campaign.

As a part of the campaign, 3 day activities were organised to spread the message of Smoke Free Mumbai along with the other modes of communication like Radio, Outdoor, OOH, TV, and ground partner promotions.

Phoenix Mills
May 29, Street plays
On Day One, the campaign organised a series of street plays at Phoenix Mills for people to know their rights and responsibilities as citizens of Mumbai. The plays addressed youngsters and the message was to encourage youngsters to quit smoking and get into the habit of leading a healthy life. Along with the informative plays, free ENT check-ups were also done for high risk groups, i.e. tobacco consumers. People were screened for precancerous conditions and offered on the spot counseling on quitting tobacco and oral hygiene. Also Nicotine Anonymous a support community of people who have quit smoking was inaugurated by S K Bhalla, chairman, General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous (India). This community encourages others to quit smoking by sharing their experiences.


Police camp
May 31, Ent screening
On May 31, a medical camp was organised at the Naigaon Police Headquarters, Dadar (E). Specialists provided free ENT screening for 2,000 policemen, policewomen and for their family members as well.


MIGu00a0club, Bandra
May 30, Drawing competition
On May 30, a drawing competition was organised at MIG, Bandra. 200 children including cancer patients had participated in this programme and 3 best drawings were judged and awarded. To motivate children, film personalities like Amrita Rao, Jacqueline Fernandes and Shibani Kashyap also visited and spent time with the children. The idea of this event was to inculcate the habit of leading a healthy life in the earlier stages of mankind.


Lintas group
May 31, celeb interaction
On May 31, actor Vivek Oberoi, the face of the campaign and also WHO's spokesperson for anti-tobacco, visited Lintas Media Group and spoke to the employees of Lintas about his association with anti-tobacco campaigns. He addressed and encouraged all the employees to spread the message of no smoking and quit the habit for good. Vivek tied ribbons on the arms of the employees of Lintas encouraging all of them to quit smoking. An interactive session on no smoking was organised between the employees of Lintas Media Group and Vivek Oberoi. The organisation also ensured that none of their employees smoked for 24 hours on May 31.