District Tobacco Control Cell, Dimapur organized a one-day training programme on the implementation of Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) guidelines for teachers and officers from the Department of Police and School Education on June 10 at the Conference Hall, District Hospital, Dimapur.

Dr. C. Tetseo, Additional Director of Health and Family Welfare highlighted the role and responsibilities of stakeholders in the implementation of the ToFEI initiative and Tobacco control. He informed about the directives on the mandatory display of signboards near educational institutions “sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products within 100 meters of an educational institution is prohibited and punishable offense under COTPA, 2003”.

Dr. Tetseo also introduced the Tobacco-Free Nagaland App to the participants. Through this app, educational institutions may use a self-evaluation scorecard to declare the School, tobacco-free, and also report a violation of COTPA, 2003.

Consultant DTCC, Linoka Awomi briefed the participants about the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Product Act (COTPA) 2003, and the burden of tobacco use in the state. She shared the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)-4, 2019 which showed that 43% of students – 62% of boys and 24% of girls consume tobacco products in Nagaland.

The training programme was chaired by Dr. Reyosalu Lase Vizo, District Nodal Officer of DTCC Dimapur. Officials from the Department of District Education Office, Police, and Teachers attended the training.

(DIPR)