Himachal Pradesh has achieved national recognition, being selected as the best performing state in the larger state category under the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 3.0 (TFYC 3.0). Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu lauded the Health and Family Welfare Department for its dedicated efforts, announcing that the prestigious award will be presented in New Delhi on 28th October 2026.
Launched initially on World No Tobacco Day in 2023, the ongoing 60-day TFYC 3.0 drive focuses on preventing tobacco use among youth and encouraging cessation through six key strategies. An expert committee evaluated states and union territories across categories modeled on NITI Aayog classifications during its review meeting on 13th April 2026.
Himachal Pradesh excelled across multiple evaluation metrics, including raising public awareness on the health hazards of tobacco, strictly enforcing the COTPA 2003 and PECA 2019 regulations, and increasing compliance within educational institutions. The state’s success was further driven by active social media campaigns, capacity-building initiatives, and a dedicated push to establish tobacco-free villages across the region.
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