Ampati, May 24: As part of the observance of World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), which is observed on May 31 every year, the Department of Health, Government of Meghalaya, in collaboration with Sambandh Health Foundation (SHF), a Gurugram-based NGO, is running a campaign to create awareness on how tobacco is damaging the environment in line with the theme this year “Tobacco: threat to our environment”, highlighting that throughout its lifecycle tobacco pollutes the planet and damages the health of all people. It may be mentioned that WNTD was created in 1987 by the Member States of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The campaign requires every school to do two activities – a Rally against tobacco and a Signature campaign. Each school has to get its students to create awareness in the community on the current theme of the World No Tobacco Day. Schools and students across the state have taken up both activities with great enthusiasm. Accordingly schools across South West Garo Hills district have undertaken awareness rallies and signature campaign to spread the message against tobacco and its ill-effects on human health and environment.
Dr. Lana Nongbri, State Nodal Officer, National Tobacco Control Program, said, “Tobacco is not only harmful to human beings, it is damaging to the environment. The very high usage of tobacco causes death and disease and puts a very heavy burden on families. The Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) Program works with youth and will change the attitude of our population towards tobacco and reduce usage. It has been a record-breaking WNTD in Meghalaya this year. Schools from every block in all the districts of Meghalaya are participating and students are sensitizing thousands of people in the community. This campaign will surely make a dent in the alarming levels of tobacco use in Meghalaya. 47% of adults in Meghalaya use tobacco and even among 13-15 year olds, it was found by the Global Tobacco Youth Survey (GYTS-2019) that 34% use tobacco.”
In the month of April this year, the Health Department sent memes on WhatsApp to the Principals and Teachers of all schools on how tobacco harms the environment, which were shared with the students. There were memes on how one tree is burnt to cure the tobacco used for every 300 cigarettes; how cigarette butts create litter, are not biodegradable and spread the harmful chemical contents in cigarettes; how people chew tobacco and then spit in public places.
The signature campaign required students to convey these messages about tobacco’s harmful effects to the environment with family, friends and neighbours and get their signatures. Schools are organizing rallies in public places like market places, bus terminus, etc. Schools which did both the activities with maximum student participation are eligible for winning Awards. Awards are given by the National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP), Meghalaya for each category of School – Primary, Upper Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary. Awards will be given for the best school in each category in each Block. The block-level winners are eligible for district-level awards and the best from each district will vie for State-level awards. The State winners will be felicitated on World No Tobacco Day on May 31, next.
According to Dr. Ashima Sarin, Director, Sambandh Health Foundation, the campaign is a part of the Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) program being run in the state, because of which students are now taking the lead against tobacco. “There are 8,000 deaths caused by tobacco every year in Meghalaya and the State has some of the highest cancer rates in the country. The ToFEI campaign is becoming a game changer for reducing tobacco usage. We have received full support from the Deputy Commissioners and Police in all districts of Meghalaya”, she added.
