Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 21 July 2025
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands may be known for their scenic beauty and rich biodiversity, but beneath the surface, a grave public health crisis is tightening its grip. Data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) 2019-20 has revealed disturbingly high levels of tobacco consumption across the islands—making it imperative for the Health Department to place tobacco cessation efforts at the very top of its agenda.
The numbers leave no room for complacency.
According to NFHS-5 data, 76.8% of men and 63.5% of women in Nicobar district use tobacco. In North and Middle Andaman, usage remains dangerously high with 70.5% of men and 46.8% of women reporting tobacco use. Even South Andaman, which fares slightly better, shows 50.8% of men and 19.6% of women are tobacco users.
These figures are far higher than the national average—particularly among women—and expose a massive gap in public health outreach, awareness, and cessation support across the UT.
The implications are severe. Tobacco consumption is directly linked to multiple life-threatening illnesses including oral and lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and chronic respiratory conditions. In women, especially those of reproductive age, tobacco use can lead to pregnancy complications and harm child health outcomes. The high prevalence in tribal and remote regions further exacerbates vulnerabilities in communities that already face challenges in accessing healthcare.
Given this scenario, tobacco cessation cannot remain a peripheral concern. It must be treated as an emergency health priority.
What Needs to Change—Now
– Establish Island-Wide Cessation Clinics: Every Primary Health Centre and hospital must be equipped with trained counselors, access to free nicotine replacement therapy, and follow-up systems for those trying to quit.
– Launch Targeted Awareness Campaigns: Public messaging—especially in local languages—must reach the grassroots. Community leaders, teachers, healthcare workers, and even tribal councils should be empowered to lead anti-tobacco education initiatives.
– Strengthen Regulations and Enforcement: Enforcement of existing tobacco control laws, including age restrictions on sales must be non-negotiable. Special attention should be paid to preventing youth initiation.
– Prioritize Women and Vulnerable Populations: With an alarming 63.5% of women in Nicobar using tobacco, tailored cessation and support programmes for women must be rolled out immediately. These should also address the socio-cultural norms that have made tobacco use so widespread.
– Community Engagement is Key: No policy can succeed without grassroots participation. The Health Department must collaborate with Panchayats, NGOs, SHGs, and tribal leaders to create a movement rooted in local realities.
This is a Fight We Cannot Afford to Lose
Every percentage point in the NFHS-5 data represents hundreds of lives impacted by addiction and preventable disease. For a region already struggling with logistical and infrastructure challenges, the long-term burden of tobacco-related illness could overwhelm the healthcare system if left unchecked.
The Health Department of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration now stands at a crossroads. It can treat these numbers as just another statistic—or it can recognize them as a clarion call for urgent, aggressive, and sustained tobacco cessation efforts.
The time to act is now. Tobacco control must not wait until more lives are lost, more families are broken, and more youth are trapped in addiction. With the right leadership, political will, and community partnerships, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands can turn the tide—and reclaim the health and hope of its people.
