Wokha Declares Key Public Offices Tobacco-Free Amid Statewide TFYC 4.0 Rollout

The Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign (TFYC) 4.0 was officially launched across Dimapur, Mon, and Wokha districts in Nagaland as part of a comprehensive statewide movement to strengthen tobacco control measures, safeguard young people from the harmful effects of tobacco, and foster tobacco-free educational institutions and local communities. In Dimapur, the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) inaugurated the initiative at Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS), Burma Camp. Speaking at the event, District Nodal Officer Dr. Esther Chophy Ngullie detailed the campaign’s core goals, which emphasize preventing tobacco initiation among youth, promoting smoking cessation, enhancing the enforcement of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), and supporting tobacco-free environment declarations. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Khekali Y. Sema, who served as guest of honor, formally launched the program, encouraging students to choose healthy lifestyles over addiction, while NTCP psychologist Imkumla Aier led participants in taking a tobacco-free pledge under the chairmanship of school principal Nikali Sema. Concurrently, the District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) in Mon launched TFYC 4.0 at Sacred Heart School on October 28. NTCP Consultant E. Nyeamying Konyak outlined four strategic priority areas for Mon: enforcing COTPA restrictions near academic zones, implementing Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) guidelines, expanding tobacco-free village initiatives, and curbing the usage of e-cigarettes and vapes. Guest of honor Additional Deputy Commissioner Pakon Phom urged students to withstand peer pressure and highlighted youth wellness as pivotal for nation-building, while school chairman Dr. M.H. Daniel called for collective action before Dr. Lihngam administered the solemn anti-tobacco pledge. In Wokha district, Deputy Commissioner K. Mhathung Tsanglao launched the 60-day drive on October 30 during a quarterly District Level Coordination Committee meeting. Marking the launch, Wokha Town Council and Wokha Police Station were formally designated as Tobacco-Free Offices. Senior Dental Surgeon Dr. Kihito Awomi reviewed Wokha’s progress, noting that 119 schools, 47 health centers, four public offices, one dental clinic, one bank, one police station, and seven villages are already declared tobacco-free, alongside recording 30 citations against COTPA violators. Health officials highlighted the urgent necessity of TFYC 4.0, observing that adult tobacco prevalence in Nagaland stands at 43.3 percent—substantially higher than India’s national average of 28.6 percent—with Wokha, Zunheboto, and Tuensang registering particularly elevated usage rates. To combat these statistics, TFYC 4.0 aims to expand total program coverage by 50 percent through stringent COTPA enforcement, broad public awareness campaigns, targeted educational outreach, and active information dissemination across public and private channels.