Meghalaya has been recognised as the best-performing state under the smaller states category for its outstanding implementation of the tobacco-free youth campaign (TFYC) 2.0, an initiative of the Union Health and Family Welfare ministry.
The campaign aimed at creating mass awareness among the youth about the dangers of tobacco use, establishment of tobacco-free educational institutions and creating tobacco-free villages.
Over 1, 42,184 educational institutions and about 12,000 villages across India were declared tobacco-free, with strict enforcement leading to numerous violations being penalised.
With nearly half of adults aged 15 and above in Meghalaya using tobacco, the state loses nearly 8,000 lives annually to tobacco-related illnesses, according to the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP).
Over the past three years, more than 8,000 schools and 5 lakh students have been actively participating in rallies and signature drives to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco across the state.
This year, the campaign aims to further motivate young people to resist or quit tobacco use through educational drives, enforcement actions, and community initiatives over 60 days.
