Papum Pare Launches 60-Day Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 4.0 to Protect Young Generation
Launched in Yupia, the 60-day campaign will focus on preventing tobacco use among young people through school awareness programmes, community participation and stricter enforcement of tobacco control laws.
YUPIA- Papum Pare district has launched the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 4.0 with a renewed focus on preventing tobacco use among young people through coordinated awareness programmes, educational outreach and stricter enforcement of tobacco control laws.
The campaign was formally launched by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Tame Yajum at the DC Conference Hall in Yupia on Monday. The 60-day initiative, which began on October 28, will continue until December 26, 2026.
Addressing members of the District Tobacco Control Committee (DTCC), ADC Tame Yajum called for coordinated efforts among government departments and other stakeholders to strengthen tobacco control measures and reduce tobacco consumption across the district.
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Highlighting the importance of public participation, she suggested incorporating live testimonials from individuals who have successfully overcome tobacco dependence and its harmful effects. With their consent, such experiences could be shared through social media to inspire others and increase awareness about the consequences of tobacco use.
Earlier, the ADC administered the No Tobacco Pledge to participants, reaffirming their collective commitment to building a tobacco-free society.
District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr. Reena Ronya highlighted the progress of the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) in Arunachal Pradesh. She informed that the programme was launched in the state during the financial year 2007–08 and introduced in Papum Pare district in 2015.
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She also noted that the Papum Pare NTCP team recorded the highest COTPA-related revenue collection through challans in 2024, reflecting the district’s enforcement efforts.
Emphasising prevention among young people, Dr. Ronya said the campaign would focus particularly on preventing tobacco initiation among non-users, especially schoolchildren. She called upon the District Deputy Director of School Education (DDSE) and school authorities to intensify awareness programmes in educational institutions.
She further stressed the need for consistent enforcement of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), stating that regular challaning for violations could act as a deterrent against tobacco use in public offices and public premises.
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The District Tobacco Control Committee, she added, has an important responsibility in coordinating the activities of different departments and ensuring effective implementation of tobacco control measures.
Earlier, District Programme Officer, NTCP, Dr. Lobsang Chuki, presented the campaign’s action plan and implementation strategies for Papum Pare.
The proposed interventions include public awareness programmes, promotion of tobacco-free educational institutions and villages, enforcement of COTPA and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), social media engagement, and outreach activities targeting universities and colleges.
The campaign seeks to bring together students, educational institutions, local communities and government departments to create a healthier environment and protect the younger generation from the harmful consequences of tobacco consumption.
The meeting was attended by DRCHO Dr. Tomar Kamki, DDSE, DDSA T. T. Tara, Deputy Director R. D. Bengia Yakar, along with representatives from the police, educational institutions and the Narcotics Department, among others.
The key challenge for the district will be to translate the 60-day awareness campaign into sustained behavioural change, particularly among schoolchildren and young adults, while ensuring consistent enforcement of existing tobacco control laws.
