The “Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0” was launched in Hailakandi by the District Commissioner Sri Nisarg Hivare in the presence of the Additional District Commissioner (Health), DNO, DTCC, DPM & DME, NHM besides other departmental heads and representatives of the NGO’s. Tobacco as many of us know, is responsible for the death of more than 8 million people globally besides causing significant damage to the environment apart from harming human health further through the process of cultivation, production and post-consumer waste. Every year, nearly 494,000 acres of forests are destroyed around the world for growing tobacco causing massive deforestation. Tobacco waste has been found to contain over 7000 highly toxic chemicals while cigarette butts account for 30 to 40 percent of all items collected in the coastal and urban clean-ups.
As India is the world’s 2nd largest producer and consumer of tobacco, numerous health problems like cardio-vascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung disease, infertility, stroke etcetera linked to tobacco consumption is commonly seen among the adult population. Exposure to second-hand smoke also leads to problems like asthma attacks, respiratory infection etcetera among the adults as well as infants and children. Considering the fact that 51.9% adults & 11.9% children in Assam use tobacco in some form or the other, a very focused and strategically sound approach is required to counter the tobacco menace in our state.
The “Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0,” an initiative of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India seeks to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use, particularly among the youth with the active participation & contributions from the states & Union territories. The targets of the campaign include – at least 30 IEC campaigns, declaring at least 160 educational institutions as ToFEI, conducting a minimum of 16 enforcement drives, and declaring at least 20 villages as tobacco-free in every district along with a significant focus on amplifying the activities through social media using the hashtags– #SaveTheYouthCampaign #AbSeBandCampaign.Those desirous of quitting tobacco can make use of the National Tobacco Quitline services by calling on 1800-112-356.
Source:TMN
