The school curriculum will soon incorporate lessons on the harms of tobacco use and legal measures to control its use, General Education Secretary A. Shajahan has said.
He was speaking at a programme organised by Tobacco Free Kerala at the SMV Higher Secondary School here on Wednesday.
School authorities had been directed to be proactive in ensuring that no tobacco sale occurred within 100 yards of schools, he said.
Additional Director General of Police A. Hemachandran told the students that while there were ample laws, there would be no reduction in tobacco use and related health issues unless the younger generation kept away from such vices without external compulsions.
Addictive smoking
He was speaking on ‘The role of police in creating tobacco free educational institutions.’
Additional Director of Health Services A.S. Pradeep Kumar said of the 60 per cent of smokers who wanted to quit the habit, only 2-3 per cent was successful, because of the addictive nature of smoking.
Students take pledge
Film producer G. Suresh Kumar administered a pledge.
Over 250 high school students of SMV School took the oath to desist from using tobacco products and to dissuade others from using them.
Documentaries on tobacco-induced cancers were screened.
