Kohima Joins The List Of Smoke-Free Indian Cities: 'Consume Your Ego, Not Tobacco'

On Friday April 29, Nagaland’s capital city Kohima was declared a smoke-free city. The announcement came from Rovilatuo Mor, Kohima district Deputy Commissioner during a campaign organised by the District Tobacco Control Cell under the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
Held at Old MLA Hostel junction, this campaign involved 22 schools with students carrying signs that read ‘show your care by making a different’, ‘smoking is paying someone to kill you’ and ‘consume your ego, not tobacco’. The educational institutes organised this event to spread awareness regarding the negative results of tobacco and smoking. They shouted slogans demanding that Kohima become a smoke-free city, chanting ‘breathe healthy, live happy’.
The DC Kohima received a memorandum from 20 tobacco-free schools, one college and one institution stating that ‘smoke-free’ was an important criteria in the Smart City mission selection process. It also pointed out that the move would reduce health hazards for people, especially children, exposed to second-hand smoke.

Dr. Hotokhu Chishi, who delivered the keynote address, added that as per a Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2009-2010, Nagaland was ranked second highest tobacco consuming state at 57 percent. He appealed to reduce tobacco consumption by being responsible in public spaces.

The ban on tobacco and smoking has been attempted in several parts of India. The entire state of Himachal Pradesh was declared smoke-free in 2013, and Chandigarh became India’s first smoke-free city in 2014. Tobacco advertisements on mass media platforms is prohibited across the country, and packaging is required by law to have health warning labels. In 2010, it was estimated that one million tobacco-related deaths occur every year in India. In light of breathing hazards and pollution, smoke-free cities have both environmental and health benefits.

Words: Rhea Almeida