YUPIA, NOV 2:
The 60-day Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 4.0 was formally launched by Papum Pare Additional Deputy Commissioner Tame Yajum at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall here on Monday.
The campaign, which commenced on October 28, will continue until December 26, with the objective of strengthening tobacco control measures and preventing tobacco use among young people.
Addressing the gathering, Yajum called upon members of the District Tobacco Control Committee (DTCC) to work in a coordinated manner to raise awareness and reduce tobacco consumption across the district. She suggested exploring the use of testimonials from individuals who had overcome tobacco dependence and its adverse effects. With their consent, such accounts could be shared on social media to inspire others and strengthen the campaign.
The ADC also administered the No Tobacco Pledge to participants, reaffirming their collective commitment to a tobacco-free society.
District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr Reena Ronya informed that the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) was launched in Arunachal Pradesh in 2007–08 and introduced in Papum Pare district in 2015. She said the district NTCP team recorded the highest revenue collection through challans under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) in 2024.
Highlighting the campaign’s focus on young people, Ronya said sustained awareness activities were essential to prevent tobacco initiation, particularly among schoolchildren. She urged the District Deputy Director of School Education and school authorities to intensify tobacco awareness programmes in educational institutions.
She also stressed the need for consistent enforcement of COTPA, stating that regular challaning for violations could help deter tobacco use in public offices and other public premises. She underscored the role of the DTCC in coordinating the efforts of different stakeholders to achieve the goal of a tobacco-free district.
Earlier, District Programme Officer, NTCP, Dr Lobsang Chuki presented the campaign’s action plan and implementation strategies for Papum Pare. The key interventions include public awareness activities, promotion of tobacco-free educational institutions and villages, enforcement of COTPA and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), social media engagement and outreach to universities and colleges.
The campaign aims to mobilise students, educational institutions, communities and other stakeholders to build a healthier, tobacco-free environment and protect young people from the harmful effects of tobacco use.
The meeting was attended by DRCHO Dr Tomar Kamki, DDSE, DDSA TT Tara, Deputy Director R.D. Bengia Yakar, and representatives of the police, educational institutions and the Narcotics Department, among others.
