Punjab State has witnessed a sharp decline in the tobacco use among men from 33.8 percent to 19.2 per cent, and from 0.8 per cent to 0.1 per cent among women during the past 10 years — the lowest in India.
Quoting the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) data (2015-16), the state Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Vini Mahajan said that Punjab Government has been making serious efforts in the past few years to tackle the problem of tobacco use.
“In its endeavour to save the youth and children from addiction to tobacco or nicotine, the Government has been strictly implementing various laws and provisions related to its control, and due to these efforts, Punjab has lowest prevalence of tobacco use in country according to the NFHS-4 data,” she said.
Mahajan said that according to the Survey, conducted by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the tobacco use among men in Punjab State declined from 33.8 per cent in NFHS-3 to 19.2 per cent NFHS-4 and in women from 0.8 to 0.1 per cent during last 10 years which is lowest among all the States of the country.