As per the finding of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), Mizoram, along with Arunachal Pradesh has the highest number of tobacco users in the country among students in the age group of 13 to 15 years.
This damning report should be an eye-opener for the people as well as the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. Day-by-day, a growing number of children are turning to drugs and tobacco. Schools across the state have miserably failed to stop the students from consuming tobacco. This growing trend of use of tobacco and drugs is threatening the future of the state.
The easy availability of these products in the market is the main cause for the jump in tobacco use. The shopkeepers do not follow any laid down norms. In order to make a profit, they end up selling these dangerous items to the young children knowing very well that it is illegal to do so.
The GYTS survey report should be a wake-up call for the state. The government agencies along with civil society bodies and NGOs should come together to fight this menace. The parents also have an important role to play. They need to keep an eye on the activities of their ward.
In today’s competitive world, parents often get busy in day-to-day activities and tend to ignore some aspects of parenting. It is important to have regular conversations with children and keep a tab on their behaviour and activities. Hopefully, the state government will use the GYTS survey report and initiate some drastic steps to curb the use of tobacco among children in Arunachal Pradesh.