New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Ayush and Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav on Wednesday launched the fourth edition of the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign (TFYC 4.0), a 60-day nationwide initiative aimed at preventing tobacco use among young people, promoting cessation and strengthening enforcement of tobacco control laws.
The campaign was launched at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, with a special focus on universities and colleges to promote tobacco-free campuses and youth-led awareness initiatives.
Jadhav called upon young people to lead efforts against tobacco use and nicotine addiction, stressing that protecting their health was essential for the country’s development. He also administered the ‘Say No to Tobacco’ pledge to participants, urging them to avoid tobacco and encourage others to quit.
The minister said tobacco use posed serious health risks, noting that tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including toxic and cancer-causing substances. He also highlighted concerns about nicotine exposure during adolescence, which can affect brain development, attention, memory and learning.
The campaign builds on the achievements of its previous three editions, during which more than 5.8 lakh educational institutions and 73,000 villages were declared tobacco-free, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The first edition, launched in May 2023, saw 1,42,184 educational institutions and 12,000 villages declared tobacco-free, with enforcement drives resulting in fines exceeding ₹1 crore. The second edition, launched in September 2024, recorded 1,67,762 tobacco-free educational institutions and 27,534 villages, alongside fines exceeding ₹1.1 crore.
During the third edition in 2025, another 2,57,807 educational institutions and 33,850 villages achieved tobacco-free status. More than 58,000 enforcement drives were conducted, resulting in 1,45,477 challans under Section 4 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, which prohibits smoking in public places. More than 60,000 enforcement personnel and tobacco cessation counsellors were also trained.
TFYC 4.0 will focus on six areas: public awareness, tobacco-free educational institutions, expansion of tobacco-free villages, enforcement of tobacco control laws, digital and social media outreach, and engagement with universities and colleges.
Educational institutions will be encouraged to comply with Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions guidelines, promote peer-led awareness activities and involve students and faculty members in prevention efforts.
The campaign will also strengthen enforcement of the COTPA, 2003, and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, while encouraging tobacco users to seek cessation support.
A whole-of-government approach will bring together the health, education, information and broadcasting, youth affairs, rural development, panchayati raj and other ministries, along with state governments, Union Territory administrations, healthcare professionals and civil society organisations.
Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, addressing the launch, emphasised the need for sustained institutional action and community participation in tobacco prevention. She also commended Dr RML Hospital for maintaining a tobacco-free campus and called on young people to adopt healthy lifestyles.
The programme was attended by more than 300 people, including government officials, healthcare professionals, students, development partners and civil society representatives. Director General of Health Services Dr Loveneesh G. Krishna, Dr RML Hospital Director Dr Akhilandeswari Prasad and World Health Organization Representative to India Dr Yvan Hutin were among those present.
The event featured awareness films and a testimony under the Voice of Tobacco Victim initiative, highlighting the consequences of tobacco-related illness.
The ministry has urged educational institutions, local administrations, youth organisations and citizens to participate in awareness activities, strengthen tobacco-free environments and promote cessation support during the 60-day campaign.