Srinagar, June 20: Amid the huge tobacco burden in rural areas, the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign of the Health Department Kashmir launched last month is picking up pace in Kashmir and many activities under the nationwide tobacco program have been launched.
Dr Mir Mushtaq, State Nodal Officer (Kashmir Division), National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), said the department under the campaign has started many activities for the implementation of the campaign in the valley.
“Many activities have been taken up. People have been fined and we have collected an amount of Rs 32,000 from violators from different districts of Kashmir,” he said.
Mir said that every week enforcement drives are conducted and awareness camps are being conducted in villages, schools, communities, Mohallas etc.
“The main focus of the campaign is on the implementation of Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) and COTPA 2003 in schools across the valley. We have held many meetings with the School Education and Higher Education Department. In a year we may have all schools in the valley smoking-free,” he said.
The State Nodal Officer said tobacco control can be achieved by awareness against use of tobacco and implementation of COTPA and ToFEI around educational institutions.
The nationwide campaign was launched by the Administrative Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, Bhupinder Kumar on World No Tobacco Day on 31 May.
He also informed that as part of the ToFEI implementation in Ganderbal, the district has seven schools tobacco-free.
Earlier, the DHSK had issued an order to Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents to conduct enforcement drives under the COTPA-2003 implementation of Tobacco Free Youth Initiative and TOFEI under National Tobacco Control Program.
“You are requested to carry enforcement drives on weekly basis on every Wednesday till 31st July 2023 in your respective jurisdictions for monitoring the violations of COTPA-2003 in coordination with the administration, police and School Education Department for effective mechanism,” the DHSK order said.
They have been directed to submit the action taken report to the directorate within one day of conducting the activity so that the same is consolidated and submitted further to higher authorities.
The State Nodal Officer said under the nationwide tobacco program, activities including evidence-based mass media campaigns, warnings against the harmful effects of tobacco consumption, motivational activities to quit the element, etc. will be held.
As per the National Health Survey, J&K is sixth highest in the country after North Eastern States i.e., Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram in terms of tobacco consumption.
As per the NHS figures, the prevalence of tobacco in Kashmir includes Kupwara 56 percent, Shopian 52 percent, Anantnag and Bandipora 49 percent, Budgam 48, Pulwama 44, Ganderbal 42, Baramulla and Kulgam 41 percent and Srinagar 38 percent.
Officials also said all the heads of the Health Department were provided challan books and signage for enforcement but there was “no sign of implementation” on the ground.
Health officials said the lack of exclusive manpower in districts is a major challenge for the health department in terms of enforcement. They said although the government had imposed a blanket ban on e-cigarettes and loose cigarettes, the sale of loose cigarettes continues rampantly.
Tobacco use is associated with accelerated mortality among adults, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest.
