Senapati Government High School vows to make it tobacco free
Source: The Sangai Express
Senapati, October 27 2024:
"Tobacco free educational institutions" -- an awareness campaign aims at making schools tobacco free was held at Senapati Government High School yesterday.
The programme was organized by the District Tobacco Control Cell, CMO Senapati in collaboration with the Zonal Education Officer Senapati, Sangai Youth Tobacco Free and Educational Organization (SYTFEO).
Sponsored by the State Health Mission (NHM)-National Tobacco Control Programme, Government of India, the campaign aimed at raising awareness about harmful effects of tobacco use.
At the event, Premjit Thokchom, co-founder and president of SYTFEO, advised students to avoid tobacco and tobacco products.
He said that cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000, including at least 69 which can cause cancer, and smokeless tobacco contains as many as 4,000 chemicals including 28 which are cancer causing.
Stating that nicotine is the gateway to drug use and is addictive, he informed the students that tobacco kills 8 million people worldwide every year.
He advised the school to follow guidelines and declare the school free of tobacco.
It is not easy to quit once one becomes addicted to tobacco.
Many hospitals in Imphal have cessation centres, and there is also one centre at Senapati district hospital.
Tobacco users can avail the facilities at the centre, he said.
Padma Shri Dr S Bimola Kumari, ex-CMO, Managing Director and senior advisor SYTFEO, said that there are two types of tobacco-smoke and smokeless, and both are harmful to health.
She highlighted the harmful effects of using tobacco including diseases like cancer and others which affect babies in the mother's womb, lungs and blood circulatory system.
She said tobacco use shortens one's life.
L Johnny, District Designated Officer-Food Safety Department, Senapati, advised students to learn from the resource persons and share the knowledge they gain with family members.
He said the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) of 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations of 2011 prohibit the use of tobacco and nicotine in food products.
Graceson Rakhangmi, from ZEO Senapati, urged students not to defile their bodies as Christians by using tobacco products.
He said using tobacco will affect health, family and society.
Veinii Th, Headmaster also discouraged students from using tobacco.
On the sideline of the programme, Graceson informed that so far 4 schools -- Mao-Maram Higher Secondary School, Lao Radiant school, Mave School and DV School -- have been declared tobacco free in the district.
The Senapati Government High School is in the process of being declared as a tobacco free school, he added.
Harmful effects of smoking and chewing tobacco products include addiction to nicotine, smelly hair, increased heart rate and blood pressure, bad breath, constricted blood vessels, trouble in breathing, reduced sense of taste and smell, reduced physical performance and productivity, exhaustion, brain stroke/paralysis, eye cataract/blindness, heart disease, high blood pressure, heart attack, Asthma, cancer, chronic cough, stomach ulcer, damage to gum tissue, tooth decay, cracked lips, etc.
As per a 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) report, 20% of students (27 % boys & 13 % girls) in Manipur were using tobacco products.
13% of students (22% boys & 5.2% girls) were smoking tobacco.
7.3% of students (13% boys & 2.3% girls) were smoking cigarettes.
7.3% students (12% boys & 3.2% girls) were smoking bidi and 13% of students (17% boys & 8.4% girls) were using smokeless tobacco.
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