Health Department envisage Tobacco Free Educational Institutions and Tobacco Free Panchayats by 2021-22 in the State. The Government Spokesperson said that the State of Himachal Pradesh has been awarded by the World Health Organisation for tobacco control in 2012 and has reported the 5th highest reduction in tobacco use as per Global Adult Tobacco Survey -2 in India. He added that the State has the lowest prevalence of tobacco use among youth (1%) in India as per Global Youth Tobacco Survey-4 (GYTS 2021). The Government Spokesperson informed that as per the surveillance of E-health cards, currently the prevalence of tobacco use in 18 plus is 12.2 %. He told that the current focus of the State is on Tobacco Free Educational Institutes and Tobacco Free Panchayats. For this the State has taken various initiatives. The State has established 100 ‘Nayi Disha Kendras’ where tobacco cessation services are provided by trained medical officer and paramedics.
He further added that we have issued Tobacco Free Educational Institution Guidelines 2020, Health Promoting Educational Institute Guidelines 2020 to the districts. He said that this year we have also constituted Health Promotion Committee. He added that ‘Tobacco Free Panchyats’ reward scheme is being implemented in the State where Rs 5 lakhs are awarded to a Panchayat on achieving Tobacco Free Status . The Government Spokesperson said that the monitoring tobacco usage is a regular feature in the state. Further the tobacco cessation facilities are expanding to sub district level and there is high compliance of specified pack warnings which is supported by effective ban on tobacco advertisement. He further informed that the department of health has envisaged to achieve targets for 2021-22 that include declaration of Tobacco Free Educational Institutions, Tobacco Free Panchayats (1 in each block) , capacity building of teachers and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
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