NHM MizoramNATIONAL TOBACCO CONTROL PROGRAMME (NTCB)
Mizoram has the highest tobacco prevalence in India at 67.2% according to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2009-10 with 72.5% males and 61.6% females consuming tobacco in some form or the other. It also has the lowest “planning to quit tobacco rate” in the country. Second hand smoke exposure is at a very high 97.7% at homes. This survey has highlighted the dismal situation existing in Mizoram regarding tobacco use quite succinctly. Mizoram also has the highest incidence of a number of Cancers like lung, esophagus, stomach, all sites etc. in the country according to the Population Based Cancer Registry Report, 2009-11. The state, therefore, has to take up various measures to lower the use of tobacco in Mizoram before the second phase of GATS, which will be undertaken in 2015. There is an urgent need to take up more concerted tobacco control actions in a sustained manner in order to prevent many more diseases, disability and deaths in the state.
Various measures have been undertaken in the past year to effectively decrease the use of various tobacco products and hence reduce the incidence of different Tobacco Related Diseases and Deaths. The activities taken up during the past 1 (one) year is being summarized below-
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY
NTCP’ LUNGLEI & AIZAWL – ‘W’ DURING THE YEAR 2014
| Sl.No | Activity | Aizawl | Lunglei | Total |
| 1. | No. of Awareness Programmes held at Schools | 111 | 123 | 234 |
| 2. | No. of Awareness Programmes held at Colleges | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 3. | No. of Anti Tobacco Club formed | 58 | 47 | 105 |
| 4. | No. of Tobacco Free School identified | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| 5. | No. of Training & Sensitization Programmes conducted | 8 | 9 | 17 |
| 6. | No. of Community Based Programmes organised | 18 | 21 | 39 |
| 7. | No of Clients | 680 | 428 | 1108 |
| 8. | Quit Rate | 1 2.89% | 9.9% | 11.39% |
REPORT ON ANTI TOBACCO SQUAD DRIVE CONDUCTED BY NTCP’ LUNGLEI & AIZAWL – ‘W’ DURING THE YEAR 2014
| Sl.No. | Aizawl | Lunglei | Total | |
| 1. | No. of Squad Drives conducted | 40 | 24 | 64 |
| 2. | No. of Offenders | 227 | 31 | 258 |
| 3. | Amount of Fines collected | Rs. 20,990 | Rs. 4,400 |
Rs. 25,390 |
Tobacco Control in Mizoram needs to continue on a war footing as we are suffering many of the consequences of tobacco use in terms of very high burden of tobacco related diseases and deaths. A number of tobacco control initiatives have been taken up in the state and at present, National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) is being implemented in the two districts of Lunglei and Aizawl West while“Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use Project” is also being implemented in all districts of the state. However, much still needs to be done in a sustained manner throughout the state. The state cannot afford to slow down tobacco control activities; rather this initiative needs to continue on a war footing. The state, thus, needs support from the Government of India to ensure that tobacco control activities like tobacco cessation, enforcement of COTPA, awareness programmes etc. are taken up actively and diligently