3-9% Students Aged 13-15 In MP Use Tobacco, Alarming Data Revealed In Workshop

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A district-level tobacco control committee meeting-cum-workshop, held at the zilla panchayat office on Tuesday, revealed concerning data about tobacco use among youth. Mukesh Kumar Sinha, executive director of the Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association, shared that 3-9 per cent of students aged 13-15 in the state consume tobacco, as per the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (2019).

Additionally, the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2016-17) shows that 34 per cent of adults in Madhya Pradesh use tobacco in some form. The workshop highlighted the severe health risks posed by tobacco, which causes 13 to 14 lakh deaths annually in India.

“Efforts are being made to strengthen tobacco control laws, such as banning the sale of tobacco products to minors and prohibiting their sale within 100 yards of educational institutions. Schools across the district are being encouraged to become tobacco-free, and initiatives are underway to create tobacco-free villages,” officials said.

Collaboration and awareness

CMHO Dr BS Saitya said that quarterly committee meetings will be held under the National Tobacco Control Programme to coordinate efforts across departments. Zilla Panchayat CEO Siddharth Jain mentioned that collective action to protect youth is the need of the hour with the need to educate teenagers about the dangers of tobacco.

“Tobacco use leads to cancer, lung and heart diseases, infertility, and brain-related disorders,” he said.

Officials from the Health, Education, Panchayat, Social Justice, and Tribal Welfare Departments attended the workshop, along with District Nodal Officer for Tobacco Control Dr Santosh Sisodia, to discuss strategies for effective implementation of tobacco control measures.