Govt Launches Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 3.0 — A Critical Step to Protect India’s Youth & Children

 

🛡️ Govt Launches Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 3.0 — A Critical Step to Protect India’s Children

By Public Right Action Network (PRAN)

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, recently launched the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 3.0, a 60-day nationwide initiative aimed at protecting young minds from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine.

The campaign seeks to:

• Empower youth to resist peer pressure and make informed choices

• Create youth ambassadors for a tobacco-free and addiction-free lifestyle

• Promote tobacco-free schools and communities

• Strengthen enforcement of COTPA and the Prohibition of E-Cigarettes Act

• Conduct digital awareness campaigns and school-based education programs

• Offer cessation support through counseling and helplines

Tobacco consumption is a major public health challenge in India, claiming over 13 lakh lives annually.
According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 8.4% of students aged 13–15 years currently use tobacco products, with an average initiation age of just 10 years.

 

Tobacco remains one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in India, claiming over 1 million lives annually. Among youth, the situation is alarming: 14.6% of students aged 13–15 use tobacco, and nearly 37% of children start smoking before the age of 10. Each day, 5,500 children begin tobacco use, and one-third of them may ultimately die from tobacco-related diseases.

🎯 Key Focus of the Campaign

• Tobacco-Free Schools: Prohibit sale and use within 100 yards of educational institutions.

• Community Action: Expand Tobacco-Free Villages and engage youth locally.

• Digital Outreach: Awareness campaigns through social media, youth ambassadors, and school initiatives.

• Law Enforcement: Strengthen compliance with COTPA and the Prohibition of E-Cigarettes Act.

• Cessation Support: Promote counseling and helplines for youth already using tobacco.

📊 Highlight: Big Tobacco, Tiny Targets Study

PRAN draws attention to the 2020 study “Big Tobacco, Tiny Targets”, a joint initiative by Consumer VOICE and Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI). The study was authored by Amarjeet Singh and others providing robust evidence on tobacco industry practices targeting youth.

Key Findings:

• 1,011 schools across 25 cities in 10 states were surveyed.

• 885 points of sale (POS) were located within 100 yards of schools, violating Section 6(b) of COTPA.

• 77% of POS sold tobacco near schools; 37% were street vendors, the most common type of retailer

• Cigarettes were sold at 95% of POS, bidis at 68%, smokeless tobacco at 59%, flavored products at 23%, and heated tobacco at 4%.

• Single-stick sales were rampant: 87% of POS sold individual cigarettes or bidis.

• Marketing targeting children:

  • 72% of POS displayed cigarettes near candies or sweets.

  • 76% of POS displayed products at children’s eye level.

  • 62% of POS hid graphic health warnings.

• Promotions and advertisements:

  • Posters: 42% of POS

  • Billboards: 12% of POS

  • Free distribution: 12% of POS

  • Special or limited-edition packs: 12% of POS

This study clearly demonstrates the urgent need to strengthen COTPA, enforce vendor licensing, and curb industry tactics that lure youth to tobacco use.

🌱 Recommendations for Stronger Tobacco Control

1. Ban all POS advertising and displays, removing exceptions in COTPA section 5(2).

2. Prohibit single-stick cigarette and bidi sales to reduce youth experimentation.

3. Raise the legal age for tobacco consumption from 18 to 21 years.

4. Implement vendor licensing:

   • Only allow sales outside school proximity.

   • Prohibit selling candies, chips, and other child-attractive items alongside tobacco.

5. Hold tobacco companies accountable for marketing tactics targeting minors.

6. Increase fines and penalties to ensure effective deterrence.

💬 PRAN’s Call to Action

The Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 3.0 is a crucial step, but real impact requires legal reform, strict enforcement, and community participation. PRAN urges:

“Stop Big Tobacco from targeting our children. Strengthen COTPA, enforce the law, and make India a tobacco-free home for every child.”

📞 Contact: publicrightaction@gmail.com
🌐 Read more: publicrightaction.blogspot.com
🟦 Follow: @PRAN_f4e | #TobaccoFreeYouth | #StrengthenCOTPA | #BigTobaccoTinyTargets