Date:25/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/03/25/stories/2005032509200400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

I began smoking at 11: YSR

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MARCH 24. The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has said that he began smoking cigarettes at the age of 11.This candid confession by Dr. Reddy, which surprised a large gathering came at, a workshop on tobacco-free initiative programme for the policy makers here on Thursday. The Chief Minister recalled his past experience as a chain smoker.

"Though I began smoking at 11 years, freedom came to me at the age of 14 when I joined a hostel to study PUC. Slowly, I became a chain smoker," he said. "But I took a conscious decision to quit smoking when I attained the age of 40 and it is 15 long years since I had puffed a cigarette," he pointed out.

Dr. Reddy pointing to the TDP leader, N. Janardhan Reddy, a doctor himself, said that the latter used to smoke more than 100 cigarettes a day. After attaining 45 years, he suddenly stopped smoking and became obese, the Chief Minister pointed out.