World No Tobacco Day 2025: Unmasking the Appeal — A Grand Movement by Harshamitra Hospital

Tobacco. Behind its shiny packets and fancy flavors lies a dangerous truth — one that claims millions of lives every year. On May 31, 2025, Harshamitra Super Speciality Cancer Centre in Trichy rose once again as a torchbearer of awareness, aligning with the World Health Organization’s theme for the year — “Unmasking the Appeal.”

This year’s event was not just another seminar or campaign. It was a heartfelt, vibrant, and powerfully human gathering held right at the Harshamitra hospital premises. A place where healing happens every day, transformed — for this day — into a ground for action, art, and awareness.

WHO 2025 Theme: “Bright Products. Dark Intentions. Unmasking the Appeal”

The WHO’s global theme for World No Tobacco Day 2025 aims to expose how the tobacco and nicotine industries continue to manipulate young people through:

Flavored tobacco and vapes

Colorful, trendy packaging

Misleading promotions — online and offline

Paid influencers and viral content targeted at youth

“They sell the idea of ‘cool,’ ‘calm,’ or ‘mature’—but in reality, what they sell is addiction, disease, and death.”

This campaign directly speaks to parents, teachers, and youth influencers, reminding us that tobacco marketing doesn’t look evil—it looks exciting. That’s the danger.

Harshamitra Hospital: 14 Years of Uncompromising Commitment

While this theme has gained global momentum, Harshamitra has been ahead of the curve since 2011, organizing unique and impactful awareness campaigns every single year on May 31st.

From flash mobs and rural street plays to free screening camps and student competitions, Harshamitra has built a reputation not just for treating cancer — but preventing it through community-centered education.

This year was no exception.

“Reel Podunga, Real Hero Aagunga” – Creative Awareness Campaign for 2025

In tune with this year’s WHO theme, Harshamitra launched a youth-targeted awareness campaign called:

“Reel Podunga, Real Hero Aagunga” (Make Reels, Be a Real Hero)

The concept?

Encourage students and young creators to create awareness reels (short videos) that expose the false glamour of smoking, vaping, and other tobacco products.

The goal? Fight reels with reels.

Show that you don’t need smoke to shine on screen — only truth.

These videos, shared on Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and WhatsApp, carry simple, sharp messages to “unmask” the so-called appeal of tobacco use.

This youth-driven model proves one thing: when young voices speak up, other young people listen.

A Grand Gathering at Harshamitra Premises

Unlike past years where awareness campaigns happened in public places like parks or streets, the 2025 event was held at the Harshamitra campus itself — and it turned out to be a grand, emotional, and inspiring affair.

Hundreds of participants gathered under a decorated canopy. There were:

School and college students
Doctors, cancer survivors, caregivers
Media professionals
Public health workers
Local NGOs
And families from across Trichy

Colorful banners read “Unmask the Appeal” and “Bright Packs, Dark Truths,” while posters showed real-life images of people who were once “cool smokers” but later cancer patients.

Chief Guests Who Inspired the Crowd

Director Seenu Ramasamy

Renowned for his thought-provoking films, Director Seenu Ramasamy delivered a powerful keynote. He expressed deep concern over how movies and media can unintentionally promote smoking, and urged content creators to be more socially responsible.

“Likes and views should not come at the cost of lives. Real heroes don’t smoke on screen or off. They protect others from picking it up,” he said, earning applause.

Dr. G. Govindaraj Vardhanan– Managing Director, Harshamitra Cancer and Multi-speciality Hospital

With over two decades in oncology, Dr. G.Govindaraj Varsha shared case studies of young patients who fell into the trap of flavored vapes and chewable tobacco, believing them to be “harmless.”

“They came with laughter… and left with pain,” he said. “If we can prevent even one teen from lighting up, we’ve saved a life.”

Youth Participation: Raw, Real, and Hopeful

Students and young creators were at the heart of the campaign. Selected reels from the “Reel Podunga” challenge were screened at the event, and winners were honored with certificates and gifts.

Themes ranged from:

The peer pressure to “try it once”

Social media glamorization of vapes

Real stories of siblings lost to tobacco-related cancers

Short plays showing how tobacco masks itself in fun flavors but ends in trauma

One student summed it up:

“We used to think cool people smoke. But now we know — real heroes help others quit.”

Educational Stalls & Counseling

The hospital campus featured interactive stalls run by doctors, psychologists, and volunteers. Each stall tackled one aspect of tobacco marketing:

“Packaging vs. Reality” – showing how beautiful boxes hide terrible dangers

“Flavored Doesn’t Mean Safe” – real lungs vs. vape smoke images

“Quit Help Corner” – live counseling, quitting kits, and success stories

The booths stayed open for 6+ hours, allowing people to engage at their own pace. Many parents brought their children to explain the visuals in real-time.

The Impact So Far

In just one day, the “Reel Podunga” campaign and event reached:

Over 1,200 attendees in person
80+ student reels submitted across platforms
15 live counseling sessions booked
500+ informational leaflets distributed in Tamil and English
Coverage in local news portals and radio mentions

But more importantly, it sparked conversations in homes and classrooms. That’s where true change begins.

Testimonials

A Cancer Survivor’s Voice

“I lost my voice to throat cancer. I wish someone told me earlier that ‘filter cigarettes’ aren’t safe,” said Mr. Arumugam, a guest speaker. His message moved many to tears.

A Teacher’s Insight

“When media romanticizes smoking, teachers must de-romanticize it with facts. This event gave us the right tools,” shared Mrs. Ranjani, a high school biology teacher.

Why This Matters Beyond Trichy

While WHO sets the tone globally, real change happens locally — in hospitals, in schools, in homes.

What Harshamitra proves each year is that a single institution, with heart and consistency, can make waves. And it doesn’t take massive funding. Just dedication, creativity, and collaboration.