Ramadoss advises WB CM to quit smoking to get grants

New Delhi, Sep 16 (UNI) In view of West Bengal losing millions of dollars in international aid due to Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's smoking habit, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss today reiterated his advice asking him to kick the butt.

Dr Ramadoss has also written to all the state governments to enforce ban on smoking from October two and enforce smoke-free workplaces to all. This was necessary to improve the health of the people, the health minister said.

He added that he had asked the Chief Minister to quit smoking earlier and would do the same again. The state has the highest number of smokers including about 71 per cent of males.

Media reports have indicated that the state lost millions of dollars due to smoking habit of the Chief Minister. Within the last six months, the ''Bloomberg Initiative To Reduce Tobacco Use'' had rejected application for grant to the state many times.

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