Nagaland launched the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign (TFYC) 3.0 at Baptist College, Kohima, under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), Department of Health & Family Welfare. The campaign, part of a national initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare since 2023, aims to educate and empower young people to resist or quit tobacco use.
Anoop Khinchi, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, officially inaugurated the campaign, highlighting the high prevalence of tobacco use among adults and children in Nagaland. He called for a system-wide approach including inter-departmental coordination, tobacco vendor licensing, and stakeholder capacity building. He administered the Anti-Tobacco Pledge, stressing that every tobacco-free school, village, and youth contributes to a healthier state.
In her keynote address, Dr. Mereninla Senlem, Principal Director, Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, noted that TFYC 1.0 and 2.0 had helped declare numerous Tobacco Free Educational Institutions and Villages while strengthening enforcement of COTPA, 2003, and PECA, 2019. She highlighted ongoing challenges, citing the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4) which found that 43% of school-going children aged 13–15 in Nagaland currently use some form of tobacco.
Dr. Keveduyi Theyo, Mission Director, National Health Mission, Nagaland, urged students to act as campaign ambassadors, spreading awareness about the harms of tobacco. He emphasized district-level leadership and innovation during the 60-day campaign through daily reporting, reviews, and field activities.
Dr. I. Simon Sumi, State Nodal Officer, NTCP, outlined TFYC 3.0 objectives and strategies, including planned district activities and periodic state reviews. The event was chaired by Dr. Enünü Sale, Assistant Professor, Baptist College, with the invocation and welcome note delivered by Principal Dr. Kewepfuzu Lohe. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Neingutunuo Angami, District Nodal Officer, NTCP, Kohima.
