Teachers to check sale of tobacco near schools

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an all-out attempt to fight the tobacco menace among school children, the Health Department, along with the Education Department, has mooted the appointment of one teacher per school for monitoring use and sale of tobacco in and around the school premises.In addition to this, the State Government via an order issued on December 6 has authorised police officers not below the rank of sub-inspectors to take action on any violation of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 (COTPA 2003).“Use of tobacco is one major reason for lakhs of premature deaths in the state. Until now there was a confusion regarding who should take action in case of violation of law that bans sale of tobacco near schools - whether it should be the health officer, the panchayat or the police.  Now we have clarified that it should be the police,” said Health Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan.The nodal teacher appointed for each school is expected to inform law-enforcing authorities if he/she comes to know about the sale and use of tobacco in or around the schools. It is hoped that continuous scrutiny by teachers will bring down the use of tobacco, in the form of chewable tobacco products or smoke.“It is not realistic to expect a child to inform the police about such activities. But he or she can always talk to a teacher about it. So this is what prompted us to think on the lines of a nodal teacher for each school,” said Rajeev Sadanandan.Meanwhile, the Education Department is holding a brainstorming session to chalk out the functions and duties of nodal teachers in each and every school.“The anti-smoking movement has lost its momentum in the state. Though the law preventing sale of tobacco within 100 yards of educational institutions, had been in force from December 2004, there has been many violations, with small shop-keepers continuing to sell such materials,” said Rajeev Sadanandan.While in December 2004, the distance specified was just 100 metres, the State Govt had increased it to 400 metres. The Dept of Local Self-Govt is joining in the fight against tobacco and requested the help of parents and parent-teacher associations to inform the police if they notice sale of chewable tobacco products within 400 metres of an educational institution. Figures available at the Regional Cancer Centre has shown that as many as 4,555 registered male patients were afflicted with cancer owing to tobacco use in 2005, the number rose to 5,730 in 2009. Majority of patients have respiratory and oral cancers.The Depts of Health, Education and LSG have come together to nip the habit of tobacco chewing among youngsters in the bud as chewing tobacco has been found to be the major cause of oral cancer among males.