Introduction:
Despite a high level of awareness among adults about the hazards of tobacco use, the recent Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2016-2017 showed that in Maharashtra alone, which is one of major tobacco producing states in the country, 13% of adolescent students aged 13 to 15 years, consume tobacco. Almost 4 in 10 tobacco users in India start before the age of 18 years, which makes adolescence a critical and susceptible phase for experimenting with and initiating tobacco-use. Salaam Mumbai Foundation (SMF) aims to fulfill these very aims of raising awareness about and preventing tobacco use among the susceptible group of adolescents and youth.

Objectives:
Involving and engaging influential NGOs to conduct tobacco control in rural areas is effective and sustainable for scale up at the grass-roots level.

Methods:
Since 2007, SMF has trained 579 NGOs in Maharashtra and seven national-level NGOs, on ill-effects of tobacco use and the effective implementation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (COTPA) 2003

Results:
By training and working with 579 NGOs in Maharashtra, SMF was able to reach around 30,000,00 children, youth and community members in the state. In the case of the 7 national-level NGOs, they, in turn, trained around 8000 stakeholders and reached out to 60000 school students. Thirty NGOs were also able to declare their workplaces as tobacco-free and have trained their staff to implement tobacco control activities. Five NGOs have been awarded the prestigious Vyasanmukti Award by SMF, for their exceptional work in this area.

Conclusion(s):
Trained NGOs have now developed resource materials and independently conducted tobacco control activities and events in their program areas.