AMU Marks World No Tobacco Day with Awareness Campaigns

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Prof. Zeba N. Siddiqui with faculty members and staff during the World No Tobacco Day

AMU Marks World No Tobacco Day with Awareness Campaigns and Pledge for a Tobacco-Free Society

Aligarh, June 3: Various departments of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) observed World No Tobacco Day 2026 through awareness programmes, outreach activities, and pledge-taking ceremonies, resonating the message of a tobacco-free and healthier society.

The Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) under the guidance of Dr. Mohammed Reyazuddin, Chairman of the Department organised a series of awareness initiatives in line with this year’s theme, “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction.” The campaign began at the Rural Health Training Centre, Jawan, in collaboration with the Department of Community Medicine. Experts highlighted the risks, symptoms, treatment options, and public health burden associated with tobacco use, while encouraging individuals to seek professional support for cessation.

A second awareness drive was conducted by the Addiction Treatment Facility (ATF) of the Department of Psychiatry across various OPDs of JNMC, where nursing staff and counsellors interacted with patients and attendants, educating them about tobacco-related health hazards and misleading marketing practices employed by the tobacco industry.

The concluding programme focused on the clinical management of Tobacco Use Disorder. Faculty, staff, and healthcare professionals pledged to remain tobacco-free and promote awareness regarding timely treatment. Speakers emphasized the importance of counselling services, free medicines, and National Tobacco Quitline facilities available through the ATF for individuals seeking to overcome tobacco addiction.

Meanwhile, the Department of Chemistry, AMU, observed World No Tobacco Day with an awareness programme aimed at sensitising students, research scholars, and staff to the harmful effects of tobacco consumption and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Addressing the gathering, the Chairperson Prof. Zeba N. Siddiqui underscored the importance of sustained awareness campaigns and collective efforts to protect public health. Participants were encouraged to make informed lifestyle choices and act as ambassadors of awareness within their communities.

The programme concluded with a pledge by participants to contribute towards building a tobacco-free society and to spread awareness about the adverse health consequences of tobacco use.