BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: The Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0, initiated under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) in Uttar Pradesh, focuses on combating the pervasive tobacco use among youth. This program aims to foster awareness, enforce tobacco control laws, and create a sustainable framework for tobacco-free communities. Despite significant progress, challenges persist, including insufficient community engagement, limited institutional support, and tobacco industry interference.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: TFYC 2.0 was launched with a multifaceted approach. Activities included IEC campaigns, stakeholder capacity-building workshops, and educational institutions' sensitization programs. Active monitoring mechanisms were established, encompassing IEC monitoring, EI monitoring, Tobacco-Free Village monitoring, and enforcement of the COTPA 2003 and the PECA 2019. Key partnerships with schools, colleges, and NGOs were leveraged to disseminate knowledge and encourage behavior change, while gram panchayats were engaged to promote village-level tobacco-free initiatives.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: The campaign yielded significant results. 3.937 rallies and 5.268 IEC campaigns were conducted to spread awareness. Pledge sessions were held in 55.607 institutions, and 20.387 school rallies were organized. Creative competitions like poster-making, debates, and quizzes saw massive participation, with 330.033 entries. Notably, 54.568 Educational Institutions were declared tobacco-free as per TOFEI standards, and 7.749 villages achieved Tobacco-Free Village status. Enforcement efforts led to 5.643 challans under COTPA 2003 and 506 challans under PECA 2019, reflecting strict adherence to tobacco control laws.
CONCLUSIONS: TFYC 2.0 exemplifies a comprehensive public health intervention against tobacco use among youth. Integrating IEC, monitoring, and enforcement activities has laid the groundwork for sustainable, tobacco-free environments. Future efforts should emphasize strengthening community participation, expanding monitoring frameworks, and aligning the campaign with broader health initiatives to ensure long-term success in tobacco control across Uttar Pradesh.