Education Department instructs institutions to sensitise students to ill-effects of tobacco

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 24

To sensitise students to the ill-effects of tobacco, the State Education Department has directed all government and government-aided senior secondary schools to observe an anti-tobacco fortnight campaign from May 1 to May 15 on their premises.

The department has also asked the schools to observe May 15 as World Anti-Tobacco Day.

During the two-week awareness campaign, students will participate in various cultural events as well in painting and slogan writing contests.

The students will also be made aware of the ill-effects of tobacco in every form in the morning assembly.

In its drive against tobacco, the State Health Department has found that teenagers are susceptible to tobacco products. Even medical students are not immune to its vulnerability.

In the last two months, the District Health Department has issued 123 challans and collected Rs 6,160 as a fine from those who were found violating the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.

Though the selling of tobacco and its products near educational institutions and religious places is a violation of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act, the Health Department found that these products were being sold and consumed near the gate of Adesh Medical College and Hospital in the city.

In one case, the seller of tobacco products was challaned and fined near the gate of the medical college and hospital. In other case, a person was penalised for smoking on the sixth floor of the hospital building.

Under the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act, no person shall smoke in any public place. However, a hotel having 30 rooms or a restaurant having a seating capacity for 30 persons or more and at the airports, a separate provision for the smoking area or space may be made for the smokers.

Public places include hospital buildings, railway waiting rooms, amusement centers, public offices, court buildings, educational institutions, libraries, coffee houses, canteens, banks, clubs and also open spaces surrounding hotels or restaurants.

“Nicotine is the major cause for the predominant behavioral effects of tobacco. It is a poisonous substance that leads to addiction. After absorption, nicotine travels at a rapid pace to the brain,” said Dr SK Raj Kumar, Assistant Civil Surgeon, Bathinda.

“Carbon mono-oxide reduces the amount of oxygen to the brain, which is carried by blood and causes shortness of breath. Tar is a sticky residue, which contains benzopyrene, one of the deadliest cancer,” added the Assistant Civil Surgeon, Bathinda.