Jammu, Dec 13: The Directorate of School Education, Jammu, organised a webinar on “Tobacco Free Educational Institutions” Guidelines, here on Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Director School Education, Jammu, Anuradha Gupta said that due to the social acceptability and it being legal with certain restrictions, people are unable to realise the serious negative consequences of tobacco use.
“Drinking and smoking by girls/females should not be viewed as a sign of empowerment,” she added.
The Webinar was the initiative of Counselling Cell of the Directorate, in collaboration with Directorate of Health Services Jammu, through virtual session to generate awareness among the school teachers and other staff members regarding the ill effects of tobacco use and other related issues with the key purpose of accelerating the implementation of Tobacco Free Educational Institutions guidelines.
Director School Education, Jammu, Anuradha Gupta also advised the stakeholders to reach out at the ground- level to make an idea or a policy implementation sustainable.
She reminded the students to immerse themselves in positive passions instead and channelise their energies towards becoming the ambassadors of best practices like Fit India, Career Counselling, Cyber security etc.
Ms Gupta also called upon the parents and teachers to, “be the role models rather than mere preachers who act contrary to their own advice”.
Such campaigns should include all the aspects like prevention, education, counselling and vigilance by parents and teachers. School heads must discuss corrective measures during monthly Parent Teacher meets (PTM’s).
Dr Mridula Singh, Divisional Nodal Officer for NTCP, who was the resource person of the event, discussed tobacco-related issues in detail including the background of tobacco control, burden of tobacco use in India, overview of National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP) and COPTA 2003 with focus on the guidelines about tobacco-free educational institutions.
Romesh Kumar Sharma, Head Counselling Cell, termed the Tobacco consumption as a form of behavioural issue, which needs behavioural modification techniques.
He added that equipping the faculty counsellors with counselling and cessation counselling skills can help make institutions tobacco free.
Drinking, smoking not signs of women empowerment: DSEJ
