Community Based Tobacco Control Initiatives –Best Practices from Madhya Pradesh

Community Based Tobacco Control Initiatives –Best

Practices from Madhya Pradesh

State Tobacco Control Cell

Madhya Pradesh

Rural India & Tobacco Use

• 72.2% of India’s population lives in villages.

• A large proportion of poor people live in rural areas

NFHS-3, 2005-06

Community Based Best Practices

Profile

Families - 556Population- 3214Male - 1655Female - 1569

Tobacco Free Village : Chinch Gohan

A Turn in The Community• A woman named Sagul Bai of the village

was addicted to tobacco chewing.

• Ultimately her habit had led her to oral cancer.

• On 12th October 2005, when the entire village was celebrating Vijayadashmi, the festival symbolizing the victory of good over evil, Shagulbai lost her battle against cancer.

• The tobacco threat had manifested itself in the form of Shagulbai’s death, forcing the villagers to contemplate on the gravity of the situation.

An Initiative• The death had shaken them deeply and

forced them to devise concrete measures to curb the menace of tobacco and alcohol.

• The villagers called a meeting wherein it was decided that the village shops would not sell Gutka and tobacco pouches in future.

• Gram Panchayat decieded to impose fine of Rs. 1000/- on violators.

• Also a prize money of Rs 100 was declared was anyone reporting the violation of this prohibition.

• The villagers burnt the pouches of Tobacco and Gutka publicly on the ocassion of Vijayadashmi.

• Teachers, Administration, NGOs all supported the initiatives.

Results

• The village is still maintaining its Status of “Tobacco Free Village”.

• Nearby village Dugwada also took initiatives in the same line for becoming tobacco free village.

• The movement is started in other villages and places.

Tobacco Free Village :Chikhli

Tobacco Free Village Development Steps : Indore

Model•Base Line Survey.

•Environment formation & Capacity Building

•Controlling the Tobacco Sale “Sankalp Diwas”

•Beating the addiction “Mukti Award”

•Convergence “Tambaku Mukt Gram”

•Coordination of Administration, NGOs, Teacher, PRI Members etc.

Rural Madhya Pradesh : Setting Example

Thank You