The National Tobacco Quitline Service (NTQLS), established by the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, has revealed concerning statistics about tobacco usage among youngsters with 10th grade education. This revelation came during the World No Tobacco Day celebration hosted by the Institute.
With a focus on aiding individuals to quit tobacco and smoking addiction, the NTQLS has collected valuable data that paints a worrying picture of tobacco use among youngsters in India. It shows that youngsters who have passed 10th grade make up a significant portion of tobacco users, with 174,097 individuals fitting this category reaching out to the service.
Since its launch in 2016 by Union Health Minister Hon’ble Shri Jai Prakash Nadda, the NTQLS has been instrumental in combating tobacco usage across the country. As of April 2023, over seven million calls have been made to the service’s toll-free number, with over two million callers receiving counseling. Impressively, 156,644 individuals have quit using tobacco due to the assistance provided by the NTQLS.
The statistics also reveal that 98% of callers to the service are male, with transgender individuals making up 5% and women accounting for only 2% of the total callers. This data is a clear call to action for targeted public health initiatives to address tobacco consumption among these demographics.
By highlighting these startling figures during the World No Tobacco Day celebration, the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute underscores the vital need for tobacco cessation initiatives targeting young people, especially those in the 10th grade. The data underscores the urgency of the situation and the role services like the NTQLS play in safeguarding public health.
