Photo Courtesy: nagalandpost
Kohima: Nagaland has officially kicked off the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 4.0 across Dimapur, Mon, and Wokha. Authorities are pushing hard to shield students from addiction and tighten enforcement of existing health laws. The National Tobacco Control Programme is spearheading the move.
In Dimapur, the campaign launched at Government Higher Secondary School, Burma Camp. District Nodal Officer Dr. Esther Chophy Ngullie defined the goals: preventing tobacco initiation, promoting cessation, and cracking down on illegal sales. Guest of honor Khekali Y. Sema, Deputy Commissioner of Police for Crime, urged students to choose healthy habits. Principal Nikali Sema chaired the event while psychologist Imkumla Aier led the tobacco-free pledge.
Mon officials held their launch on October 28 at Sacred Heart School. Consultant E. Nyeamying Konyak outlined four main targets: enforcing the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act near schools, following tobacco-free guidelines, growing the number of smoke-free villages, and stopping the sale of vapes. Additional Deputy Commissioner Pakon Phom warned the crowd of the physical toll. He told the audience: "He also urged them to resist peer pressure and encourage others to lead tobacco-free lives." Dr. M.H. Daniel called for collective action, and Dr. Lihngam closed the event with a pledge.
Wokha hosted its launch on October 30 at the Deputy Commissioner’s conference hall. Deputy Commissioner K. Mhathung Tsanglao opened a 60-day awareness blitz. Both the Wokha Town Council and the local police station gained status as Tobacco-Free Offices. Dr. Kihito Awomi reported that 119 schools, 47 health centres, and seven villages are now tobacco-free. Officers have already booked 30 violators under sections 4, 6a, and 6b of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act of 2003.
Tobacco use in Nagaland hits 43.3 percent, far above the national average of 28.6 percent. Wokha, Zunheboto, and Tuensang remain the primary hotspots for consumption. The state now aims for a 50 percent increase in programme coverage through aggressive outreach and tighter enforcement.
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