Himachal Pradesh Selected as Best Performing State in Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign.
Chief Minister Sukhu credits Health Department’s sustained efforts; award to be presented in New Delhi on October 28.
Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh has been selected as one of the best-performing states in the larger state category under the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 3.0 (TFYC 3.0), recognising the state’s sustained efforts to prevent tobacco consumption among young people and promote tobacco-free environments.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced the achievement and lauded the Health and Family Welfare Department for its consistent efforts in implementing the campaign across the state. He said the recognition reflected the department’s commitment to raising public awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco and strengthening measures to protect young people from tobacco addiction.
The award will be presented to Himachal Pradesh on October 28, 2026, at a function in New Delhi.
Launched in 2023 to mark World No Tobacco Day, the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign aims to prevent tobacco use among young people and encourage tobacco users to quit. The ongoing third edition, TFYC 3.0, is a 60-day drive built around six key strategies to strengthen tobacco control and promote healthier lifestyles.
Himachal Pradesh performed particularly well across several key areas covered under the campaign. These included raising public awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco, improving compliance with tobacco-free educational institution guidelines, strengthening enforcement of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019.
The state’s initiatives to promote tobacco-free villages, increase engagement through social media and strengthen capacity-building efforts also contributed to its performance.
The final assessment was based on the average percentage of achievement across these categories, providing a comparative measure of the implementation and effectiveness of tobacco-control initiatives in participating states and Union Territories.
An expert committee selected Himachal Pradesh among the best-performing states after reviewing the performance of participating states and Union Territories. During its meeting held on April 13, 2026, the committee decided to classify the states and Union Territories into three categories based on the classification followed by NITI Aayog: larger states, smaller states and Union Territories.
The categorisation was intended to facilitate a comparative assessment among regions with different administrative and demographic profiles.
The recognition highlights Himachal Pradesh’s efforts to strengthen tobacco-control measures through public awareness, institutional compliance, legal enforcement and community participation.
The achievement is also expected to encourage continued action against tobacco consumption, particularly among young people, by promoting awareness of its health risks and supporting initiatives that create tobacco-free educational institutions and communities.
The state government’s focus on awareness campaigns, enforcement of tobacco-control laws and community-level participation remains crucial to preventing tobacco use and building a healthier future for the younger generation.
