DIMAPUR, APRIL 13 (MExN): The Nagaland State Tobacco Control Cell (NTCP) is set to initiate an Anti-Tobacco Campaign, to further its efforts from “Tobacco Free Schools to Tobacco Free Homes in Nagaland.”
A press release from Dr Arenla Walling, State Nodal Officer, NTCP informed that in Nagaland 43.3% of all adults either smoke tobacco and/or use smokeless tobacco as per Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS-2), against a National average of 29 %.
Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4) shows that 43 % among the age group of 13-15 years of school going children use Tobacco, ranking 2nd highest in the country. Because of this, tobacco use has become acceptable social habit in Naga society.
The NTCP’s Tobacco Free (EI) Educational Institution campaign is an initiative of National Tobacco Control Programme under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Awareness program on the harmful effect of tobacco use and provision of basic Tobacco Control Law (COTPA 2003) are conducted in schools and colleges. It also encourages institutions to adopt tobacco free guidelines of National Tobacco Control program in order to be declared as Tobacco Free.
For this the institutions must carry out a set of activities each carrying certain marks and they have to secure minimum qualified score (90 out of 100) in order to be declared as tobacco free (As per the New ToFEI guideline of NTCP). Regular awareness, advocacy, and enforcement are carried out to sustain this initiative.
Tobacco Free Home Campaign
As part of this campaign, the NTCP said that when students are motivated and given incharge of creating anti-tobacco awareness in their homes there is huge potential to take this campaign to thousands of homes. When awareness is created in every such home it will also bring about huge impact on the overall behaviour of the citizens, it stated.
Under the initiative, students themselves will give awareness to their parents about the danger of smoking, second hand smoke, chewing of tobacco and indiscriminate spitting. They will also give awareness on basic provisions of Tobacco control law (COTPA 2003) in regards to ban of smoking in public places, and ban on sale tobacco products to minors and near educational institutions.
Awareness will also be given on how litters from tobacco products and plastic can lead to environmental issues and soil pollution. In order to be eligible for Tobacco free home badge, a simple checklist is given to the intending students which need to be first complied with. When they are ready, Tobacco free home pledge is signed by the head of the family. Students of such homes will enforcing the Tobacco Free home norms in their respective homes.
The NTCP hoped that this initiative could become a game changer in reaching every home with Anti-tobacco campaign.
