Dimapur: tobacco in some form, either smoked or smokeless.
Vizo disclosed the alarming data during a ‘World No Tobacco Day‘ event at Government Higher Secondary School, Seikhazou, Kohima, Nagaland.
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“This is a deeply concerning statistic,” she asserted, adding that although Nagaland does not cultivate tobacco commercially, the state is facing a public health crisis due to its consumption.
She warned that the tobacco companies are increasingly targeting children and adolescents with candy-flavoured, colourfully packaged products that mask their harmful contents.
Vizo noted that companies often market these products as modern, safe, or even nicotine-free, calling this an alarming trend of deceptive advertising, and stressed the urgency of countering these tactics with education, vigilance, and policy enforcement.
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She also raised concerns about the environmental and public health risks of spitting in public spaces, which can spread airborne diseases, including COVID-19, tuberculosis, and other viral infections.
She reminded that spitting is now punishable by fines of up to Rs 5,000 under the public health regulations.
Vizo called for collective action at the school level to fight the menace, emphasising that authorities have declared all educational institutions in Nagaland tobacco-free zones.
She said that authorities have designated the teachers as enforcement officers who can monitor vendors around schools and take action under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.
“Say no to tobacco. Say yes to health and life,” she urged students, teachers, and all participants.
The District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC), Kohima, organised the event under the global theme “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.”
