Akangjungla
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Union Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya presided over the release of National Fact Sheet Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4), India 2019 on August 10. A total of 97,302 students from 987 schools (Public-544; Private-443) participated in the survey; of which, 80,772 students aged 13-15 years were considered for reporting.
As per the key findings of the survey, nearly one-fifth of the students aged 13-15 used any form of the tobacco product (smoking, smokeless, and any other form) in their life. However, the current use (during last 30 days) was 8.5 per cent. Between the last two surveys, the current use declined by 42 per cent (2009-2019). Prevalence of tobacco use among boys was 9.6 per cent and among girls was 7.4 per cent. The prevalence of smoking tobacco was 7.3%. In case of smokeless tobacco product, the prevalence was 4.1 per cent. Ever use of e-cigarette among the students was 2.8 per cent. Use of any form of tobacco was higher among boys than girls.
According to the survey, in the current use of tobacco among students across the States/UTs, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram recorded the highest tobacco consumption among school-going children aged 13-15 years at 57.9 per cent, followed by three other Northeastern states- Nagaland (42.6 per cent), Meghalaya (33.6 per cent) and Sikkim (24.8 per cent). Himachal Pradesh (1.1 per cent) and Karnataka (1.2 per cent) recorded the least.
Recently, Can Youth, Dimapur hosted a state level workshop (webinar) on WHO FCTC Article 5.3 for senior government officials and national experts in collaboration with National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) and State Tobacco Control Cell (STCC) supported by The Union, New Delhi on August 19.
Presenting a pilot study conducted by NTCP Nagaland 2020, Dr Meribeni Odyuo, Deputy Director and State Programme Officer, National Oral Health Programme, Directorate of Health & Family Welfare (DoHFW) mentioned that the consumption of pan masala by the young children is very high. She presented the tobacco profile in 8-13 years age group in schools under National School Oral Health Survey 2013-2014, where 28.3 per cent are already in tobacco habits, 15 per cent smoking and 41.2 per cent buy tobacco products for parents or elders. She showed another concern that 47.6 per cent are smokeless tobacco users.
Both the Global Youth Tobacco Survey-4 and National School Oral Health Survey 2013-2014 reports on Nagaland are alarming disclosures. The strong anti-tobacco laws, awareness campaigns and intensive efforts to protect those vulnerable from the interference of tobacco industry are not a complete success. Dr Chiekroshuyi Tetseo, Joint Director and State Nodal Officer, NTCP has rightly pointed out that stakeholders such as police, drug control department, Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) Act 2006, Legal Metrology Rule Officers, Municipal Affairs and Urban Bodies, Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children, Plastic Waste Management and Education Department can play an important role to contribute in tobacco control in Nagaland.
However, one of the responses to fight the tobacco epidemic and its affect all around the world could be, what the Union Health Minister underlined on ‘the role of teachers as most crucial in creating awareness among children and their parents about harm due to tobacco use and for shaping the attitude of children in this regard.’ Along with the integration of tobacco control policies with health and development programmes, an intentional focus on awareness and behaviour changes by way of introducing ‘harmful effects of tobacco use’ in school curriculum starting right from the primary school level, is perhaps what the country and also the states need to address the burden of the alarming tobacco consumption.
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