Akangjungla
‘Every year around 13 lakh people lose their lives due to tobacco in India… Tobacco has become a fashion statement among the youth but it can lead to dangerous diseases like cancer.’ The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Government of India cautioned speaking at the launch of the second edition of Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0 on Tuesday. Considered as ‘critical initiative’ of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India the campaign is aimed at creating awareness and promoting a tobacco-free lifestyle among the youth, and will run from September 24 to November 24. The National Tobacco Control Programme, Nagaland also joined the 60-day ‘Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0’ with the official launch held in the state capital, Kohima on September 24. The campaign was simultaneously launched in the 11 NTCP districts by the District Tobacco Control cells.
The 60-day campaign prioritises five key areas: Increasing public awareness about the dangers of tobacco, particularly among youth and rural communities; Improving compliance with the revised guidelines for Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) to keep schools and colleges free from tobacco; Strengthening the enforcement of tobacco control laws, especially COTPA 2003 and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019, to limit youth access to tobacco; Promoting Tobacco-Free Villages, where communities work together to eliminate tobacco and create healthier environments; and Boosting social media outreach, using digital platforms to deliver strong messages about the harms of tobacco and the benefits of quitting to young people. In Nagaland, the campaign aims to engage schools, colleges, and community organizations through workshops, awareness drives, and interactive sessions with students and young adults.
In a 2023 report, the World Health Organisation (WHO) highlights that tobacco kills up to half of its users who don’t quit. Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year, including an estimated 1.3 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke. In another report dated April 22, 2024, WHO also highlights that ‘the vast majority of people using tobacco today began doing so when they were adolescents. Globally in 2018, at least 1 in 10 adolescents aged 13–15 years uses tobacco, although there are areas where this figure is much higher.’ According to the latest Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 28% of Indian adults aged 15-24 are reported to be regular smokers.
All the above figures and reports determine tobacco and its use as a major health risk, especially among adolescents. India, being the second-largest consumer and producer of tobacco, makes the issue even more concerning.
While the campaign continues, the Government should finds ways and regulate policies to check the tobacco industry. It is not new to this generation that the tobacco industry portrays itself as just another business and misleads the public into believing that their products are safe and non-addictive. The WHO Representative to India says, “The industry uses sleek marketing campaigns with new media tools and harmless looking products designed to appeal to young people, thus creating a new wave of addiction.” In order to free the free the next generation from the dangers of tobacco addiction, the governments across the world requires policies and strict implementation to tackle the manipulative advertisements and other media campaign of the tobacco industry.
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