Tobacco-Free 3.0 - Government launches National campaign for students

In a bid to curb the alarming rise of tobacco use among school children, the Government of India has launched the “Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 3.0 (TFYC 3.0)”, announced on October 9, 2025, and scheduled to conclude on December 8, 2025. Spearheaded by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the campaign aims to create tobacco-free educational environments and protect the health of young citizens, emphasizing that change starts from schools and communities.

Recent research, including the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-2019), indicates that 8.5% of students aged 13–15 years currently use tobacco, with the average initiation age at just 10 years. Studies show that tobacco use is rising among school children, with nearly 70% purchasing cigarettes from local vendors, highlighting a lack of awareness and enforcement. Experts stress that public service announcements (PSAs) and targeted awareness campaigns remain underutilized, and improving these efforts is critical to behavioral change.

The TFYC 3.0 campaign builds on the success of its previous editions. TFYC 1.0, launched on May 31, 2023, declared over 142,000 educational institutions and 12,000 villages tobacco-free, while enforcement actions imposed fines exceeding ₹1 crore. Its focus was on raising awareness, establishing Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI), enforcing the COTPA 2003 laws, and promoting tobacco-free villages. TFYC 2.0, launched on September 24, 2024, expanded outreach further, declaring over 167,000 institutions and 27,500 villages tobacco-free, with fines exceeding ₹1.1 crore. This edition strengthened compliance with ToFEI guidelines, reinforced tobacco control laws including the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019, and expanded digital outreach to educate youth and communities.

The ongoing TFYC 3.0 is a 60-day initiative that aims to educate and empower children and youth to prevent the initiation of tobacco use, support those who wish to quit, and cultivate a culture of health and wellness across schools and higher education institutions. States and Union Territories have been urged to implement ToFEI guidelines and conduct proactive sensitization activities to highlight the harmful effects of tobacco and other substance abuse. Key measures include enforcement drives to maintain tobacco-free institutions, capacity-building workshops for school heads, NSS/NCC volunteers, and teachers, counseling and support sessions for students, and community campaigns to establish 100-yard tobacco-free zones around schools, colleges, universities, and vocational training centers. The campaign also promotes competitions for innovative awareness campaigns, recognition of ToFEI-compliant institutions, dissemination of educational videos, and participation in initiatives such as the World No Tobacco Day Quiz and “School Challenge: Towards a Tobacco-Free Generation” on the MyGov platform.

Promoting a tobacco-free lifestyle aligns with the Government’s vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, emphasizing that a healthy, well-informed, and empowered youth population is essential to transforming India into a developed nation. Through TFYC 3.0, the Government seeks to nurture students who are not only academically capable but also physically and mentally strong to lead India’s journey towards collective prosperity and progress.