8.5 per cent school-going children in India consume tobacco in some form: Experts

Ahead of World No Tobacco Day 2026, experts on Monday have called for stronger regulation and institutional action to curd tobacco and nicotine addiction among children and adolescents.

Citing findings from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's Global Youth Tobacco Survey-4, experts at the event said 8.5 per cent of school-going children aged 13-15 years in India consume tobacco in some form.

According to the survey, tobacco use among boys stands at 9.6 per cent, while 7.4 per cent of girls use tobacco products. Nearly 29.5 per cent of students are also exposed to passive smoking, they said.

The concerns were raised during a national consultation organised jointly by the Delhi University's Department of Social Work and the Socio-Economic and Educational Development Society (SEEDS), officials said.

The consultation, held under the theme ''Unmasking the Appeal-Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction'', brought together public health experts, academicians, policymakers, civil society representatives and students.

Experts warned that flavoured nicotine products, attractive packaging, surrogate advertising, social media promotion and aggressive marketing tactics are making children and adolescents increasingly vulnerable to nicotine addiction.

Salil Kumar, Director at the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, said protecting young people from tobacco and nicotine addiction must remain a national priority.

L Swasticharan, Deputy Director General and Director (EMR), Directorate General of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, stressed the need for collaboration among educational institutions, parents, law enforcement agencies and civil society organisations to create safer environments for youth.

Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Head of the Department of Social Work at Delhi University, Prof Sanjoy Roy, said tobacco addiction among youth was not merely a health issue but also a broader social and developmental concern.

Dr Rana J Singh, Director, Tobacco Control, South-East Asia at Vital Strategies, cautioned that emerging nicotine and tobacco products posed a serious threat to adolescents and called for evidence-based interventions and stronger tobacco control policies.

Meanwhile, SEEDS Executive Director Deepak Mishra highlighted the need for stricter implementation of tobacco control laws and greater community participation to protect children from tobacco exposure and addiction.

More than 100 students, faculty members, public health experts and stakeholders from public institutions participated in the consultation, organisers said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)