HARYANA COLLEGES, VARSITIES TO BE TOBACCO-FREE BY JANUARY 26

Colleges and universities in Haryana will soon be tobacco-free. An official spokesperson said that the director general of higher education department has directed all state and private universities, besides government, aided and self-financed colleges in state to ensure that their institutions are tobacco-free by January 26.

The department officials added that necessary steps should be taken to ascertain that tobacco-free environment is maintained in future as well.

The spokespersons added that in order to spread awareness among students multiple steps will be taken including writing slogans at educational institutions and appointing nodal officers to caution students about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption.

A recent report by the Consumer Voice and Voluntary Health Association of India has revealed that tobacco companies are systematically targeting youth as young as 8-yearolds by selling and advertising tobacco products near educational institutions.

As per a press release, a total of 1,011 educational institutions and 885 points of sale were investigated for this study using a mobile app in 25 cities across 10 states in India, including Haryana. The cities covered in Haryana were Faridabad and Rohtak.

Over 72% of point of sale around educational institutions in 25 cities were found to be displaying cigarettes, bidi and smokeless tobacco products near candies and sweets at the eye level of children.