Tobacco is the foremost preventable cause of death and disease in the world today. Globally, approximately 6.4 million people die each year as a result of diseases resulting from tobacco consumption. More than 80% of these deaths occur in the developing countries. Tobacco is a risk factor for 6 of the 8 leading causes of death. Nearly 12-13 lakh people die every year in India due to diseases related to tobacco use. Nearly 30% of cancers in India are related to tobacco use. The majority of the cardio vascular diseases and lung disorders are directly attributable to tobacco stroke, cataract, peripheral vascular diseases etc. As per available evidence, incidence of impotence is 85% higher among smokers. Tobacco use by pregnant women leads to low birth weight babies, still births and birth defects.

BSS is working in tobacco control programme from more than 6 years; the organization is primarily focusing in 6 districts of Uttarakhand with the support of The Union South-East Asia and Heath Department-State Tobacco Control Cell formed under National Tobacco Control Programme. In order to reduce consumption of tobacco products in society, to protect the youth and children from tobacco use and to protect the health of non smokers from the harmful effects of second hand smoke etc. the Parliament enacted “Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, (COTPA) in 2003. To facilitate the effect implementation of the Tobacco Control Laws and bring about greater awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco and to fulfill the obligation(s) under the WHO-FCTC, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched this new National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) in the XI Five Year Plan.

The organization is working for having focused intervention for Smokefree compliance, TAPS ban and protecting the minors, provisions of COTPA compliance in the state. The project will also support in implementing guidelines of FCTC Article 5.3 for stopping tobacco industry interference (TII) and tobacco vendor licensing in the State.

BSS is sensitizing and engaging stakeholders through conducting workshops and training programme on tobacco control legislation. This is helping in the implementation of the COTPA provisions in the State. It is also generating awareness among community regarding harmful effects of Tobacco. Combined and sustained efforts of the Health department and BSS along with The Union, entire Tehri district was declared smoke free on 26^th January 2015. Similarly, the famous hill station Mussoorie, was declared smokefree in the year 2018 on World No Tobacco day i.e 31^st May, 2018.

To save youth and children from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine, BSS is implementing the guidelines of Tobacco Free Education Institution (TOFEI) along with the department of health and education govt. of Uttarakhand. Further, BSS closely worked the department of urban development and come out with an order (3 Dec, 2019) which is going to prohibit the marketing, manufacturing, storage, packaging and processing of any tobacco products in Uttarakhand without a license. Licensed vendors will also be required to comply with the provisions set out in the cigarettes and other tobacco products act (COTPA) 2003 and the juvenile justice act, 2015. Under these provisions, the sale of any product that is primarily targeted to children, such as biscuits and sweets, will also be prohibited in shops licensed to sell tobacco products. This is to reduce children’s exposure to tobacco. This order would protect more than 10 million people of the state from the harms of tobacco and crucially will restrict opportunities for children to see and buy tobacco products.

Beside this, recognizing the efforts in implementation of tobacco control legislation, Health Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh selected BSS to conduct school programmes in Bijnor and Saharanpur district in the year 2016-17. Under the programme, we were entrusted to conduct awareness sessions cum workshops in 70 Government/Public Schools with student on harmful effects of smoking and tobacco use on health. The objective of the awareness sessions is to prevent the initiation of smoking among the adolescents. Noticing the success of the awareness sessions, this year we have entrusted to include Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh.

Vision – To create smokefree Uttarakhand by 2025

Mission – To reduce the tobacco consumption through community and multi-sectoral participation in tobacco control

Objectives –

• To reduce access to tobacco products to minors.
• To reduce the prevalence of smoking among young people and adults
• To increase anti-tobacco policies
• To increase public awareness on the consequences of tobacco use.
• To increase awareness and the intention to quit among smokers.
• To protect the non smoker from the exposure to tobacco smoke.
• To reduce access to tobacco products through illicit trade.