Chandigarh (Naval Kishore): A major Youth Action for Tobacco-Free Campuses Campaign was launched by Dr. Suman Singh at the Government Multi Speciality Hospital to strengthen awareness against tobacco and nicotine addiction among youth. The campaign is being organized by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Chandigarh Administration, in collaboration with the Strategic Institute for Public Health Education and Research (SIPHER), with support from the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region, and in partnership with GSA Mohali and Resource Centre for Tobacco Control, PGIMER.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Suman Singh said the month-long campaign is being organized as part of World No Tobacco Day 2026. She highlighted that the World Health Organization has announced this year’s theme as “Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction.” The campaign aims to expose how tobacco and nicotine industries target children and adolescents through attractive products such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.
She emphasized that the campaign focuses on youth protection by exposing industry tactics that market such products as modern, innovative, and harmless. She also stressed the need for stronger regulations on advertising, flavouring, and packaging of nicotine products to reduce their appeal among young people. Dr. Singh pointed out alarming global statistics showing that nearly 40 million children aged 13 to 15 use tobacco products worldwide, while around 15 million adolescents in the same age group are using e-cigarettes.
Speaking with National Times, Dr. Rakesh Gupta said tobacco use remains one of the leading preventable causes of disease and premature death globally. He added that adolescents are particularly vulnerable due to peer pressure, easy access to tobacco products, and lack of awareness regarding health risks. He told that during the month-long campaign, a mobile publicity van equipped with audio-visual facilities will travel across nearly 16 educational institution campuses and important public places in Chandigarh over 15 days to spread awareness.
The campaign aims to strengthen implementation of Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) guidelines, increase awareness among students, teachers, and communities, and ensure stricter compliance with anti-tobacco laws, including the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). The awareness drive will include stakeholder consultations, youth leadership programmes for tobacco-free campuses, public interaction sessions, audio announcements on tobacco harms, educational short films, posters, banners, and outreach activities encouraging a tobacco-free future for the younger generation.
