Officials along with the participants during the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 4.0 at Government Higher Secondary School, Zunheboto, on October 28.
Morung Express News
Zunheboto | October 29
The District Tobacco Control Cell, Zunheboto, organised the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 4.0 at Government Higher Secondary School, Zunheboto, on October 28 to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco and discourage its use among young people.
Dr Ngutoli K Zhimo, Junior Dental Surgeon and guest speaker at the programme, highlighted six key strategies under the campaign aimed at preventing tobacco use, creating public awareness and encouraging tobacco users to quit.
She said the 60-day nationwide campaign also worked in coordination with the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
Since its launch in 2023, more than 5.8 lakh educational institutions and over 73,000 villages have been declared tobacco-free across the country, while more than 3.3 lakh awareness activities have been conducted. Over 3.25 lakh challans have also been issued under tobacco control laws, she said.
Zhimo said the six strategies under Campaign 4.0 included conducting at least 30 awareness events in each district; improving compliance with Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) guidelines by 50 per cent compared with Campaign 3.0; increasing the number of tobacco-free villages by 50 per cent; strengthening enforcement of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019, by 20 per cent; expanding social media engagement; and involving at least 30 per cent of universities and colleges in each state and Union Territory.
Highlighting the district's progress, she said 92 schools in Zunheboto had been declared Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions, comprising 43 private and 49 government schools.
Other institutions included Zunheboto Government College, Nagaland University at Lumami, Kheloshe Polytechnic at Atoizu and Phoenix Taekwondo Academy in Zunheboto. Twelve villages in the district had also been declared tobacco-free, she said.
Highlighting the risks tobacco poses to young people, Zhimo cited 2022 cancer estimates indicating approximately 9,013 cases of mouth cancer and 6,597 cases of tongue cancer among males aged 15–39 years in India.
The programme was chaired by Tunavi Assumi, president of the No Tobacco Club, Zunheboto. Yesuho, convenor of the club, delivered the benediction, and the programme concluded with an anti-tobacco pledge.
