CHENNAI: Soon, trained tobacco monitor field investigators will hit the streets to strengthen community-based efforts to bring down and eventually eliminate nicotine addiction by restricting its availability.
This is one of the strategies decided during a consultation meeting attended by government officials, public health experts, educators, and community leaders in Chennai on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on Sunday.
The idea is to strengthen community participation in supporting the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) by creating a network of trained volunteers capable of identifying and reporting violations of tobacco control laws.
Inducting the trained volunteers into the tobacco monitor initiative, K Krishnaraj, Joint Director (NCD), Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, emphasised that the identification card was not merely a credential but a symbol of responsibility. He called upon the field investigators to serve as vigilant community leaders in the fight against tobacco and nicotine addiction.
T Pravin, district programme officer (NCD), DPH, highlighted the growing challenges posed by tobacco and emerging nicotine products and emphasised the importance of community participation in advancing tobacco control efforts.
The tobacco monitor field investigators will serve as the eyes and ears of the community, helping to identify violations, create awareness, and support tobacco control initiatives at the grassroots level, said an official.
Their contribution will complement the ongoing efforts of the NTCP in reducing tobacco use and safeguarding future generations from nicotine addiction.
At the meeting, experts held presentations while professionals from the fields of public health, education, counselling, and community development led discussions.
The consultation concluded with a collective commitment from participants to continue tobacco control advocacy, raise awareness about the dangers of nicotine addiction, and support efforts to protect children and youth from the harmful influence of the tobacco industry.