Minister calls for collective action against addiction
RK News Service
Srinagar, June 4: Minister for Health and Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education and Social Welfare Sakeena Masood Itoo on Thursday flagged off a Walkathon-cum-Rally from The LaLiT Grand Palace to Nehru Park in Srinagar to mark World No Tobacco Day 2026.
The event witnessed participation from students, healthcare professionals, government officials and members of the public. A signature campaign was also organised, during which participants pledged their commitment towards building a tobacco-free society and supporting tobacco control initiatives.
Addressing the gathering, Itoo urged people, particularly the youth, to stay away from tobacco and nicotine products. Referring to this year’s theme, “Unmasking the Appeal – Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction,” she stressed the need to safeguard young people from misleading marketing practices and the harmful effects of tobacco use.
The minister welcomed the declining trend in tobacco consumption in Jammu and Kashmir, noting that tobacco use among men had declined by 8.4 percentage points between NFHS-5 and NFHS-6.
She also highlighted the progress made under the Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (TOFEI) initiative, which has helped strengthen awareness and tobacco control measures across educational institutions in the Union Territory.
Calling for collective efforts to combat tobacco addiction, Itoo urged parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and community leaders to work together in promoting a healthier and tobacco-free Jammu and Kashmir.
The programme was organised by the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) as part of the observance of World No Tobacco Day 2026.