The recent release of the fourth round of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has brought to the forefront interesting facts and figures about tobacco usage among youth. The survey was conducted in 2019 and it provides a comprehensive breakdown of tobacco use among school-going children aged 13-15 years.
The GYTS-4: Background and Methodology
The International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) conducted the GYTS-4 under the supervision of MoHFW. Established in July 1956, IIPS, formerly known as the Demographic Training and Research Centre (DTRC), operates as a regional centre for Training and Research in Population Studies for the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) region.
The survey was designed to produce national estimates of tobacco use among students at the state level and Union Territory (UT), segmented by sex, location of school (rural-urban), and type of school management (public-private). The first three rounds of GYTS took place in 2003, 2006, and 2009. For this round, a total of 97,302 students hailing from 987 schools participated in the survey.
The Objective of the Survey
The primary aim of the survey was to collect data on several aspects related to tobacco use among young people. These areas included tobacco use, cessation, second-hand smoke, access and availability, exposure to anti-tobacco information, awareness and receptivity to tobacco marketing, and knowledge and attitudes towards tobacco use.
Key Findings: A Decline in Usage and Other Observations
According to the survey, there was a significant 42% decrease in tobacco use among 13-15 year-old school-going children in the last decade. Nearly one-fifth of the students in this age bracket admitted to using any form of tobacco product (smoking, smokeless, and any other form) in their lifetime.
The usage of tobacco was noticeably higher among boys, with 9.6% reporting usage, compared to 7.4% of girls. The states of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram had the highest instances of tobacco usage among school-going children, while Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka reported the lowest.
Start Early: Age of Initiation Into Tobacco Use
One fascinating insight was the early age of initiation into tobacco use. About 38% of cigarette users, 47% of bidi smokers, and 52% of smokeless tobacco users claimed to have started before their tenth birthday. The median ages of initiation were found to be 11.5 years for cigarette smoking, 10.5 years for bidi-smoking, and 9.9 years for smokeless tobacco use.
Awareness Among Youth and School Authorities
The survey also looked into the awareness levels about anti-tobacco messages and legislation. It found that 52% of students noticed anti-tobacco messages in mass media, and 18% noticed tobacco advertisements or promotions at points of sale. Significant awareness was noted among school heads regarding the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, with 85% being aware and 83% of schools familiar with the policy to display ‘tobacco-free school’ boards.
Measures Towards Tobacco Control in India
India has adopted several measures to control tobacco usage. These include adopting the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC); replacing the Cigarettes Act of 1975 with COTPA, 2003; promulgating the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Ordinance, 2019; providing National Tobacco Quitline Services (NTQLS); starting the mCessation Programme using mobile technology for tobacco cessation; and participating in global initiatives like World No Tobacco Day.
The Way Forward
The role of teachers is instrumental in creating awareness among children and parents about the harm attributed to tobacco use. By incorporating information on the harmful effects of tobacco use into school curricula at various levels from the primary school level, the outcomes could be better in terms of reduction in tobacco use prevalence among children, and subsequently, adults.
