Nagaland launches Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 3.0 to strengthen fight against tobacco use
The state-level launch of the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign (TFYC) 3.0 under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) of the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Nagaland, was held at Baptist College, Kohima, on October 9, 2025, reaffirming the government’s continued resolve to achieve a tobacco-free generation.

- Oct 09, 2025,
- Updated Oct 09, 2025, 4:22 PM IST
The state-level launch of the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign (TFYC) 3.0 under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) of the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Nagaland, was held at Baptist College, Kohima, on October 9, 2025, reaffirming the government’s continued resolve to achieve a tobacco-free generation.
The Tobacco Free Youth Campaign, institutionalized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, since 2023, is a nationwide initiative designed to educate and empower the youth to resist or quit tobacco use.
Commissioner and Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, Anoop Khinchi, IAS, officially launched the campaign. In his address, Khinchi described the initiative as “timely and strategic,” emphasizing Nagaland’s alarming rates of tobacco consumption among both adults and minors, and the decreasing age of initiation.
He urged for a shift from isolated interventions to a system-wide approach, stressing the need for inter-departmental coordination, vendor licensing, and capacity building among stakeholders.
“Every school declared tobacco-free, every village enforcing the law, and every young person who chooses to say no to tobacco is a step toward a healthier Nagaland,” Khinchi stated, while administering the Anti-Tobacco Pledge, symbolizing the collective commitment to the cause.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Mereninla Senlem, Principal Director, Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, highlighted Nagaland’s progress under TFYC 1.0 and 2.0, which led to the declaration of multiple Tobacco Free Educational Institutions and Villages, and enhanced enforcement of COTPA, 2003 and PECA, 2019.
However, she cautioned that the state continues to face a serious challenge. According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4), 43% of school-going children aged 13–15 years in Nagaland currently use some form of tobacco—one of the highest rates in the country—mirroring adult tobacco use patterns observed in the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS-2).
In his opening remarks, Dr. Keveduyi Theyo, Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), Nagaland, reaffirmed the government’s dedication to promoting preventive health and behavioural change among youth. He called upon students to become ambassadors of the campaign, spreading awareness about the dangers of tobacco and motivating peers and families toward healthy living.
Highlighting the importance of the 60-day campaign period, Dr. Theyo urged districts to demonstrate innovation and leadership through consistent daily reporting, reviews, and grassroots action.
Providing an overview of the campaign, Dr. I. Simon Sumi, State Nodal Officer, NTCP, detailed the objectives and strategies of TFYC 3.0, which include daily monitoring, periodic state-level reviews, and a series of awareness activities and community drives across all districts.
The campaign will run for 60 days, engaging schools, youth organizations, and community institutions to reinforce Nagaland’s vision of a tobacco-free generation.