Sirmaur campaign aims to educate youth about harmful effects of consuming tobacco

The Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 2.0 is being organised across the district from September 24 to November 23. Under this 60-day campaign, awareness programmes are being conducted in schools, colleges and panchayat offices throughout the district. The campaign aims to educate the youth and the general public about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption and the diseases it could cause.

Tobacco-free villages to get Rs 5L

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• All block medical officers in the district have been directed to visit schools and panchayats in their areas to administer the Tobacco-Free pledge and spread awareness about the campaign
• As an incentive, panchayats that successfully make their villages tobacco-free will receive a reward of Rs 5 lakh

Detailing this information, Sirmaur Chief Medical Officer Dr Ajay Pathak said the campaign sought to raise public awareness about the dangers of tobacco, promote compliance with tobacco-free educational institutions, work towards creating tobacco-free villages, enforce laws such as COTPA 2003, PECA 2019 and the Electric Cigarette Prohibition Act, and increase social media engagement.

Dr Pathak said all block medical officers in the district had been directed to visit schools and panchayats in their areas to administer the Tobacco-Free pledge and spread awareness about the campaign. The initiative aims to promote a tobacco-free lifestyle among the youth and establish tobacco-free villages and educational institutions in India.

As an incentive, panchayats that successfully make their villages tobacco-free will receive a reward of Rs 5 lakh.

Dr Pathak urged everyone to actively participate in the campaign, and contribute to making it a success.

This large-scale campaign is expected to significantly impact the health and wellbeing of the district’s population by promoting a tobacco-free environment.