Mizoram steps up anti-tobacco drive with launch of Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 3.0

The Mizoram government has intensified its efforts to combat tobacco use among young people with the launch of Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 3.0, aimed at creating healthier learning environments and building tobacco-free villages and schools across the state.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Lalrinpuii formally inaugurated the campaign at a function in Aizawl on October 31, reaffirming the government’s resolve to protect the state’s youth from tobacco-related harm.

Highlighting the urgency of the initiative, Lalrinpuii said studies by the state’s health department revealed that most drug addicts in Mizoram begin with tobacco and alcohol use, with worrying signs of middle school students already consuming both.

“Tobacco use not only affects mental and physical health but also impacts our environment, finances, and daily life,” the minister said, urging all participants to play an active role in curbing the growing problem.

The move comes amid alarming data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-2019), which shows that Mizoram, along with Arunachal Pradesh, has the highest tobacco use among students aged 13 to 15. In Mizoram, 44 per cent of students use smoked tobacco, while 33 per cent consume smokeless tobacco. The survey also noted that 63.7 per cent of smokers were boys and 53 per cent were girls, with more girls (37.7 per cent) using smokeless forms compared to boys (28.1%).

Exposure to secondhand smoke remains a concern, with 42 per cent of students inhaling smoke at home and 51 per cent exposed in enclosed public places. Officials attribute much of the problem to peer pressure and easy accessibility of tobacco products.

According to the health department, around 100 educational institutions in the state have already been declared tobacco-free, and efforts are underway to make every institution compliant.

Tobacco use remains a major public health challenge in India, claiming over 1.3 million lives annually. The Mizoram government’s renewed campaign seeks to reverse this trend by starting with the most vulnerable group — its youth.