According to the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, tobacco is responsible for the deaths of 1.3 crore people annually in India. Launching the second edition of the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign virtually, at a hybrid event at Lady Hardinge Medical College, Jadhav said, “Every year, around 13 lakh people lose their lives due to tobacco in India.” “Tobacco has become a fashion statement among youth, but it can lead to dangerous diseases like cancer,” he added. As part of it, the Minister of State also inaugurated quit smoking centres in medical institutions across India. Jadhav motivated youth to prioritise their health over tobacco consumption as it is closely linked with the development of the nation.
Ministry of Health emphasizes health and smoking prevention
The Minister of State stated that “good health is intrinsically linked to one’s own happiness and that of others”, and urged the elderly to take responsibility for ensuring that young people do not fall into tobacco consumption.
The new 60-day campaign prioritizes five key areas, including raising public awareness about the dangers of tobacco; improving compliance with the revised Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) guidelines to keep schools and universities tobacco-free; strengthening enforcement of tobacco control laws, especially the COTPA of 2003 and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act of 2019 (PECA), to limit youth access to tobacco; promoting Tobacco-Free Villages; and boosting outreach on social media.
Renowned celebrities, sportspersons and influencers like Aparshakti Khurana, Manu Bhaker, Navdeep Singh, Ankit Baiyanpuria, Gaurav Chaudhary and Janhvi Singh also addressed the gathering and shared insightful views. The first Tobacco Free Youth Campaign was launched last year on May 31 in celebration of World No Tobacco Day. The campaign was a huge success with over 1,42,184 educational institutions and over 12,000 villages declared tobacco free, according to the Ministry of Health.
Source-IANS
