No Tobacco campaign launched: Jharkhand health department initiates month-long tobacco control campaign; focus on raising awareness among youth and enforcing sales restrictions

Ranchi: The health department will run a month-long special tobacco control and public awareness campaign across the state from May 26 to June 26 on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, observed on May 31.

The campaign will follow this year’s theme, “Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction”. Jharkhand chapter of the National Health Mission (NHM) director, Shashi Prakash Jha, on Saturday directed all civil surgeons, deputy commissioners and district AYUSH officers to conduct activities during the period.

“The campaign aims to raise awareness among the general public, especially children, adolescents and youth, about the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products, including the risks of oral cancer, heart disease and respiratory illnesses. It also seeks to encourage people to quit tobacco addiction,” Jha said.

He said the health department, in coordination with the education, Panchayati Raj, urban development, food safety, information and public relations departments, and educational institutions, will organise the programme.

“Under the campaign, the provision prohibiting the sale of tobacco products within a 100-metre radius of educational institutions will be strictly enforced by marking the boundary with a yellow line and clearly displaying signage reading ‘Tobacco-Free Zones’,” Jha added.

At least 10 schools will be visited weekly, with debates and quizzes held and declaration forms collected from compliant schools. Rural areas will see cycle rallies, wall paintings and street plays, along with Gram Sabha resolutions for tobacco-free villages. Enforcement will include three-tier raiding teams, police station in-charges and municipal squads.