WHO has declared ‘Tobacco’ a global epidemic and is the single largest cause of preventable deaths and illness worldwide.  India is second largest consumer and producer of tobacco globally. In India, more than 27 crore adult Indians are using tobacco and it is estimated that approx. 9 crore adult Indians may die prematurely out of cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary diseases, cancer and other diseases.  90% of all oral cancers are caused by the smokeless tobacco use and this is very unfortunate that India is called the oral cancer capital of the world. Further, tobacco use increases the risk of Tuberculosis by 40% and nearly one third of all type of cancers are caused by tobacco use.

 As per WHO estimation, Approx. 13.5 lakh people die from tobacco use every year in India. The most disturbing fact is 5,500 children initiate tobacco use daily in India. Most of them will be long term users of tobacco and half of them will prematurely at their most productive age.

As per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS 2016-17), tobacco prevalence (15 years+) in Jharkhand is 38.9% which is higher than the national average i.e. 28.6%.  Approx. 88 lac people use tobacco and 35,000 die prematurely every year. In Jharkhand, 59.7% males and 17.0 % females use tobacco in one or other form. Smokeless form of tobacco (Khaini, Pan Masala, Zarda, flavored tobacco, Gutkha etc.) is most prevalent (35.4%) in which use of Khaini is maximum in Jharkhand i.e. 26.6%.

 As per the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS 2019) which is a school-based survey, 24.6% of students in Jharkhand aged between 13 to 15 years have tried tobacco in any form. More than 5% children in the specified age were regular users. The alarming fact is 8.0% females use smokeless tobacco before the age of 15 years in the state. As per estimate, 146 children in Jharkhand initiate tobacco use daily.

It indicates that there is significant tobacco use among adolescents and young adults as they are most vulnerable to the exposure to tobacco use. Tobacco is highly addictive and quit rates are very low, therefore, preventing the younger generations from this addiction is the most important thing to do. Considering these facts, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI has released revised guidelines for Tobacco Free Educational Institutes also called as ‘ToFEI’ in short to provide students a conducive tobacco free atmosphere at schools/colleges and protect them from easy availability of tobacco products around their ducational institutions.