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).
NTCP State Nodal Officer Dr. Nabaneeta D. Mawrie said a decisive step has to be taken in this regard, which rallies and signature campaigns against the use of tobacco can unite not just teachers and students but the community at large.
Informing that the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed globally on May 31 every year, Dr Mawrie said this year, the campaign is being launched under a powerful theme, ‘Tobacco! Business of Death’ aligned with this year’s theme – ‘Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products’.
“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,” Dr Mawrie said.
This year the campaign will be run across schools and colleges during April and May, an extension of the Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) program, which began in March 2021 in schools and expanded to colleges in September 2023 in collaboration with the Sambandh Health Foundation.
“This year, our goal is to unite not just students and teachers, but the entire community in this mission,” she stressed.
Jennyfer J. Synrem of the Education Department said that over 7,000 schools in Meghalaya rallied together against tobacco last year, gathering an incredible 43 lakh signatures. More than 5 lakh students boldly voiced their stand against tobacco, she stated.
Commenting on the district-level efforts, East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner Shivansh Awasthi urged, “Let us join hands in raising awareness through initiatives like WNTD, and work together for a healthier tomorrow by embracing collective behavioural change.”
