89% schools and 87% colleges declared tobacco-free: DPH
Issuing a press release in line with the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) observed on May 31, T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health, said that Tamil Nadu has implemented comprehensive interventions focussed on enforcement, awareness, capacity building, cessation services and safeguarding institutions from tobacco exposure.
This year, WNTD is observed on the theme 'Unmasking the appeal: Exposing industry tactics on tobacco and nicotine products' underscoring the urgent need to counter deceptive marketing strategies targeting children, adolescents and vulnerable communities, the release said.
Listing out key achievements in tobacco control (up to May 2025) in the State, the directorate said on strict enforcement of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), a total of 4,60,486 persons were fined and a fine amount of ₹7,97,13,387 was collected. A total of 45,865 out of 51,477 schools and 2,173 out of 2,484 colleges were declared tobacco-free.
To enforce Section 6 of COTPA and to protect the young, the directorate has asked district officials to ensure that all educational institutions mark the 100-yard tobacco-free zones by implementing the 'Yellow Line Campaign'.
'This year's theme reminds us that the battle against tobacco is not just about controlling consumption — it is about exposing the industries that profit by endangering lives,' he said. Dr. Selvavinagayam added that Tamil Nadu leads by example with widespread enforcement, education, and community engagement. 'Through initiatives like the Yellow Line Campaign, we are drawing a visible boundary between our children and the threat of tobacco.'
In line with this year's theme, Cancer Institute (WIA) organised a series of events that included an awareness rally, sand sculpture, open mic and announcement of awareness messages in Chennai Metro Rail stations, according to a press release.
The department of Psycho-Oncology, Cancer Institute (WIA) along with HCL Foundation organised the awareness rally at Elliot's Beach, Besant Nagar on May 31. Nearly 1,000 participants including school and college students took part. R. Murugan, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai Police, Adyar Range and T. G. Sagar, Governing Body Member and former director, Cancer Institute (WIA) were present.
A social media campaign aligned with World Health Organisation's (WHO) WNTD was also held. It highlighted tobacco's harmful effects, debunked myths, and exposed industry tactics targeting youth, and promoted the health benefits of quitting tobacco to encourage informed choices.
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research conducted an awareness rally to mark WNTD. Students, faculty members and healthcare professionals participated in the rally. Sri Ramachandra Hospital has opened a cessation clinic as per WHO guidelines to overcome addiction of tobacco usage through counselling and supportive medication, a release said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Health Minister presents awards to doctors
Health Minister Ma. Subramanian presented awards to doctors in two separate events held in line with the National Doctors' Day on Tuesday. At an event organised by the Health department, he presented awards to 50 doctors - 12 each from the Directorate of Medical Education and Research and Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 13 from Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, seven from Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy, three from Indian Medical Association and three private sector doctors. He lauded the contributions made by doctors, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Member of Legislative Assembly (Thousand Lights) Ezhilan Naganathan was present. Rotary District 3234 organised an awards ceremony on the occasion of National Doctors' Day to honour individuals for their contributions to the field of medicine and to recognise institutions for their outstanding healthcare services. Mr. Subramanian presented the various awards on the occasion. 'Rotary Excellence Awards for Distinguished Doctors' were presented to H.V. Hande, Prathap C. Reddy, Mohamed Rela, Devi Prasad Shetty, C. Palanivelu. Mayilvahanan Natarajan, Vallalarpuram Sennimalai Natarajan and K.R. Balakrishnan. 'Institutions of Excellence Awards' were conferred on Madras Medical College, Government Stanley Medical College, Sankara Nethralaya Eye Hospital and Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital, according to a press release. Vinod Saraogi, District Governor, Rotary District 3234, while speaking on the significance of the event, said that if a nation is to progress, a strong medical fraternity is essential. 'Each of the doctors we are honouring today represents an unshakable pillar of our society. This event is not just a celebration - it is a resonating expression of gratitude from the society to the medical community,' he said, according to the release.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Nearly 81% advertisements on OTT platforms during ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 promoted unhealthy products: Study
A staggering 80.9 per cent of all advertisements aired on over-the-top (OTT) platforms during the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men's World Cup held in India in October-November 2023 promoted tobacco, alcohol, and high-fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) products, a study has found. The study led by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (ICMR-NICPR) was published recently in the journal Frontiers in Digital Health. Dr Prashant Kumar Singh, lead author and senior scientist at ICMR-NICPR, told The Indian Express that the study provides the first systematic evidence from a low- and middle-income country showing how sporting events have become vehicles for promoting products that contribute to non-communicable diseases. A team of experts from ICMR-NICPR, Vital Strategies, Institute of Public Health Bengaluru, and AIIMS New Delhi conducted the research. Five trained researchers independently recorded data for cross-verification to ensure rigour and reduce biases. 'As India aims to reduce premature non-communicable disease (NCD) deaths by 25 per cent by 2025, we cannot allow commercial interests to undermine public health through unregulated digital platforms. Immediate policy intervention is crucial,' said Dr Shalini Singh, senior author and director of ICMR-NICPR. She also stressed that their findings revealed a concerning loophole in digital advertising regulation. 'While we have strict laws against tobacco and alcohol advertising, companies are exploiting OTT platforms through surrogate advertisements, particularly targeting the massive Indian cricket audience. With 422 million viewers exposed to these promotions, this represents a public health crisis hiding in plain sight,' said Dr Singh. Key findings The analysis of 341 hours of streaming across 48 matches revealed disturbing patterns of targeted marketing such as that 80.9 per cent of all advertisements (1,769 out of 2,118) promoted unhealthy products, 90.7 per cent of advertisements during India matches belonged to the unhealthy products category, and 86.7 per cent of surrogate tobacco advertisements were specifically aired during matches involving India. It also found that 60.6 per cent of unhealthy advertisements during over-breaks targeted products commonly consumed by children. A total of 422 million viewers in India were exposed to these promotions. Celebrity endorsements were common, with 17.5 per cent featuring Bollywood actors and 17 per cent featuring cricket celebrities. Children particularly vulnerable The study identified children as especially vulnerable targets, with edible products commonly consumed by them comprising the highest frequency of unhealthy advertisements during cricket breaks. Products included chocolates, potato chips, noodles, and biscuits – all heavily marketed during peak viewing times. Despite existing laws such as the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, and the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1995, that prohibit direct tobacco and alcohol advertising, the study revealed that companies successfully circumvent these restrictions through surrogate advertising on digital platforms. 'The research showed a stark disparity in advertising patterns – surrogate tobacco advertisements were predominantly displayed during India matches (86.7 per cent) while being negligible during other countries' matches, indicating targeted marketing strategies,' Dr Singh said. Researchers called for immediate action, updated regulatory frameworks to encompass digital and OTT platforms, stricter enforcement mechanisms for surrogate advertising, specific protections for children given their vulnerability to advertisement-induced behaviours, and comprehensive monitoring of OTT platforms with clear consequences for non-compliance. Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu expands Japanese Encephalitis vaccination to seven more districts
Tamil Nadu is scaling up Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccination to seven more districts. They are Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Vellore, Nagapattinam, and Chennai. According to the World Health Organization, the Japanese Encephalitis virus is spread by mosquitoes (especially Culex tritaeniorhynchus). Though symptomatic JE is rare, the case fatality rate among those with encephalitis can be as high as 30%. Permanent neurologic, cognitive and behavioural sequelae occur in 30%-50% of those with encephalitis, it has said. The Health Department had already identified 14 districts — Cuddalore, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Virudhunagar, Tiruchi, Tiruvarur, Madurai, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvannamalai, Karur, Pudukkottai, and Tiruvallur — as endemic to Japanese Encephalitis. Camps at schools Vaccination was taken up in these districts, and a total of 58,22,906 people have so far benefited from the drive. The vaccination programme would be expanded to seven more districts, and camps would be conducted at government and private schools and Anganwadi centres. Village Health Nurses, who are trained in immunisation, would be involved in administering the vaccine to children aged 1-15 years. Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said a total of 32,64,099 children would benefit, according to a press release. T. S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said, 'Whenever we start seeing cases in a particular district or area, we expand the services. This is one strategy to reduce infant/child mortality rate.' He added that the vaccine was supplied free by the Government of India. Noticeable increase in cases In fact, a study taken up by Christian Medical College, Vellore, and the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine found that between 2022 and 2024, there was a noticeable increase in cases (more than five cases) in districts other than the 14 endemic areas such as Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Tenkasi. From January 2022 to December 2024, 306 confirmed cases were reported in Tamil Nadu, with the majority of the patients aged 10-19. Chennai had the highest proportion at 40.5%, followed by Tiruvallur, 8.2%, and Tiruvarur, 6.2%. The highest number of cases — 120 — occurred in 2022, followed by 112 in 2023, and 74 in 2024, the study's authors (Regina Elizebeth Joy et al) said in an article, 'Epidemiological profile of JE in Tamil Nadu, 2022-2024: A secondary data analysis of IDSP'. It was published in the Tamil Nadu Journal of Public Health and Medical Research. The study recommended measures, including more vaccination coverage and monitoring, targeted public health interventions, geographically focused control measures, and investigation into urban risk factors and the need for pre-monsoon preventive measures.
