Dimapur, September 19 (MExN): Can Youth under its project development for adolescent has organized a webinar on ‘Tobacco burden and its control in Nagaland’ for the adolescent on September 18.
The panelist included Dr Chiekroshuyi Tetseo, Joint Director, Health & Family Welfare, Government of Nagaland and State Nodal Officers, NTCP, Dr Rana Jugdeep Singh, Deputy Regional Director, Tobacco and NCD Control, The Union South East Asia, New Delhi and Imkumla Aier, Psychologist, NTCP Dimapur.
Dr Tetseo, in his opening statement said that NTCP has been carrying out a campaign on anti-tobacco to prevent tobacco use. He encouraged the participants to be youth icons to lead the campaign to become the ambassadors of anti-tobacco. He said that the need of the hour for all the stakeholders is to join hands to control the tobacco menace as Nagaland is one of the top states of tobacco users in India.
Dr Rana Jugdeep Singh, spoke on tobacco burden based on the comparison of survey (2009-10) and (2016-17) global and state level perspective which he stated that currently in Nagaland 43.3% of tobacco users out of which 39% are smokeless tobacco users and 13% Smokers. He elaborated that 7 millions (worldwide) deaths occurred specifically among adult tobacco users and 13 Lakhs died per year in India where urgent campaign needs to be taken to control the death rate among the tobacco users.
He also said that tobacco is a legal product and directly or indirectly different ministries were involved which creates commotion among the production sites and farmers for which it cannot be controlled except the voice of people rising against this Tobacco will bring solution.
Imkumla Aier took the session on nicotine addiction in adolescents and the ill-effects of tobacco products. She elaborated the importance in understanding some problems like, ache, identity crisis, neurasthenia and addiction which are common among the adolescents. She also stressed on the basic qualities of addiction is because of difficulty in controlling how much one uses and using despite negativity. Psychological implication occurred due to assumptions put by the individual in their own minds, she added.
Jenpu Rongmei, Chief Functionary, Can Youth emphasizing on the current scenario, expressed there should be strong advocacy policy in the village level and in the education institute on tobacco. He said that as a responsible citizen it is our main priority in promoting and protecting youth to lead by creating the problems as an opportunity in the right path.
He also encouraged the youth and adolescence to enhance their knowledge through opportunities provided to them so as to empower oneself and be a role model for others.
The webinar moderated by Mary Konyak, Facilitator, Can Youth was attended by adolescents Club, Youth Leaders and NGOs, informed a press release issued by Sentiwati, Project Coordinator, Can Youth.
