Anti-tobacco manual: The Union education ministry and the Union health ministry on Saturday issued a joint advisory to all states and Union territories, calling for the rigorous implementation of the Tobacco-Free Educational Institution manual.
The joint advisory underscores the alarming effects of tobacco consumption, particularly on children and adolescents.
"It draws attention to the findings of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), 2019, which revealed that 8.5 per cent of school students aged 13 to 15 in India consume tobacco in various forms. Of particular concern is the fact that over 5,500 children in India begin using tobacco every day," an official statement said.
"Moreover, 55 per cent of lifelong tobacco users initiate the habit before the age of 20, with many adolescents turning to other addictive substances as a result," it added.
The Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) manual serves as a key resource for educational institutions to implement these anti-tobacco measures effectively.
"The advisory emphasises the need for collaborative efforts of all the stakeholders to safeguard young people from the dangers of tobacco addiction. The goal is to protect future generations by raising awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco use and promoting tobacco control measures within educational institutions," the statement further said.
As part of the National Tobacco Control Programme, the health ministry released the ToFEI guidelines for safeguarding minors and youth from tobacco and electronic cigarette use. The Department of School Education and Literacy developed and launched the ToFEI implementationmanual on World No Tobacco Day on May 31, in collaboration with the Socio Economic and Educational Development Society.