Tobacco.org

Ministry ban in place 

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 6: Visiting your daughter or son at school? Then better stub out that cigarette and throw away the gutkha packet.

State's school and college campuses will soon be tobacco free zones, according to a notification that has been sent to the state education department. The news of the notification was confirmed by health minister Prasanna Acharaya today.

The move came after Union health ministry imposed a guideline prohibiting sale and consumption of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutes.

"Teachers, parents or visitors on campuses will have to abide by the rule, along with students," said a visibly elated anti-tobacco activist Itishree Kanungo of Aparajita.

"An alarming proportion of school personnel use tobacco and students often imitate them. More alarmingly, there has been an increasing rise of tobacco use among girls. The ban should help prevent the birth of more addicts," she added.

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Orissa Government bans smoking in schools, colleges 

Bhubaneswar: In a significant development Orissa government has decided to impose ban on smoking on campuses of schools and colleges. This was said by health minister Prasanna Acharya. Health minister Acharya says, apart from the law, a public awareness is also necessary to implement such thing. We are going to launch a campaign in this regard soon. According to Acharya, the law to ban smoking in educational institutions would be put into effect from this month and the enforcement squad would ensure its proper implementation.

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• Smoking ban outside schools mooted 

A proposal to reduce the number of school smoking areas in the hope of curbing the number of young smokers has been snuffed out (Photo: Kyle Wheeler)

Local Government Denmark seeks extension on smoking ban as part of 500 million kroner health investment

Smoking anywhere near educational institutions could be a thing of the past if Local Government Denmark (LGD) has its way.

The umbrella organisation for local councils nationwide has developed a preventative proposal, based on National Board of Health recommendations, to improve policies on smoking, drinking and health. . . .

The Danish Union of Teachers is backing the smoking ban extension.

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Smoking ban outside schools mooted 

Smoking anywhere near educational institutions could be a thing of the past if Local Government Denmark (LGD) has its way.

The umbrella organisation for local councils nationwide has developed a preventative proposal, based on National Board of Health recommendations, to improve policies on smoking, drinking and health.

The national smoking ban presently has exceptions that allow for smoking inside single-person offices, dedicated smoking rooms and bars smaller in size than 40sqm.

LGD wants to see the complete ban on smoking in public council buildings extended to include outdoor areas of schools, nurseries and other areas where employees work with children.

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Smokes 37% illegal: study 

More than a third of the cigarettes smoked by area teens are contraband, according to an annual study that collects butts from outside of city high schools.

The National Coalition Against Contraband Tobacco (NCACT), which conducted the butt collection analysis across Ontario, says Brantford is at the high end of the contraband problem with 37% of the butts picked up being counterfeit, illegal or duty not paid.

"We haven't released the figures for the rest of the province yet, but last year, the provincial average was 26% and this year, you're at 37%, so it's really up there," said Gary Grant, a NCACT spokesman.

The NCACT coalition -- which was founded by the Canadian Convenience Stores Association -- says it's dedicated to fighting against illegal cigarettes in Canada.

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Boonton students smoking in pocket park draw mayor's eye 

BOONTON - Students are standing in a pocket park next to John Hill School to get their nicotine fix before school, according to Mayor Cyril Wekilsky, who said he wants to do something about it.

Wekilsky said every morning he drives past a little patch of land next to the John Hill School that was dedicated to the town a few years ago so it could be maintained and he is upset to see anywhere from five to 10 or 15 young people he said look as if they are seventh and eighth graders standing on the property "smoking up a storm."

Like most school districts, the grades K-12 Boonton Schools prohibit smoking on school grounds.

"I think we need to address it," said the mayor, who acknowledged an attempt to do something about young people smoking around the high school a few years ago had not succeeded.

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Smoking fines stubbed out beyond Danvers school grounds 

School officials were concerned for the welfare of Danvers High School students when they accepted the new Student Policy Handbook last week with its expanded no-smoking policy to areas beyond school grounds but within "wafting" distance.

Though the policy also included a $100 fine for the first and subsequent offenses, that first offense would be waived if the student (or employee) agreed to enroll in a smoking cessation program.

But, it was the fine that caused most of the controversy at the Sept. 24 meeting of the Board of Health.

"The goal is to focus on the students, not to focus on the penalty piece," said Tom Murray, principal of Danvers High School, who appeared with Peg Sallade of DanversCARES, the community-wide coalition that focuses on substance abuse prevention.

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Schools approve tobacco ban 

PORTAGE * The Portage Township School Board this week approved a ban on all tobacco products on school property effective Jan. 1, but now are investigating how they could control another questionable substance - nicotine-laden candy.

Board member Glenda Owens said she's concerned after hearing about a new product during a recent Indiana School Board Association convention. A company is test marketing a nicotine-laden candy and strips in Indianapolis. The new products, which could be on the general market in less than a year, are packaged in containers resembling cigarette packs.

Owens suggested language be added to the tobacco-ban policies that would also ban the nicotine products from district property.

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Ad Campaign Urges New York Schools to Enforce Tobacco-Free Policies 

The New York State Tobacco-Free School Policy Partnership today unveiled its "We're Watching" ad campaign promoting strong enforcement of comprehensive tobacco-free policies by secondary schools and school districts throughout New York State. The multi-media ad campaign specifically calls upon principals, assistant principals and superintendents to "send the right message" to students, many of whom report seeing smoking on school grounds despite existing policies prohibiting tobacco use.

"When students see tobacco use at school, they get the message that tobacco use is a normal, socially acceptable behavior," said Kari Shanahan, Tobacco Policy Coordinator for Mid-State Student Support Services in Syracuse. "The more effective we are at creating truly tobacco-free environments for young people, the better they are able to resist pressure to use tobacco." Most schools in New York State have some kind of no-smoking policy, according to Shanahan, but some policies are weak and administrators often don't prioritize enforcement.

A 2006 survey by the New York State Department of Health found that two-thirds of high school students report seeing other students smoking on school grounds in the previous month and 40% report seeing adults smoking at school. Federal health officials recommend implementation of comprehensive tobacco-free school policies as a top strategy for reducing adolescent tobacco use.

"Ninety percent of smokers start before the age of 18," points out Shanahan. "When school administrators take a strong stand against tobacco use, it has a real impact on students at a time when they're most likely to acquire what could be a lifelong addiction." Research has found that schools which enforce strong tobacco-free policies have lower student smoking rates, less absenteeism, and higher academic achievement.

The "We're Watching" campaign ads will be featured in professional education publications such as The School Administrator, EdWeek and Principal Leadership, as well as on education websites and through direct mail materials reaching over 8,000 principals, assistant principals and superintendents across New York State.

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LETTER: Why aid tobacco industry? 

I read with amazement the article about the state helping to finance an expansion of Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Co., with a package worth more than $4 million. . . .

After spending $4 million to help the expansion, how many more millions of dollars will the state have to pay in coming years for medical benefits to treat the cancers, heart problems, etc. caused by these products?

If legislators want to help the tobacco industry, then they should also help the young people of Pennsylvania by passing a budget now so students can be educated about the dangers of tobacco products.

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MCC plans anti-tobacco campaign 

The Malabar Cancer Centre (MCC) at Thalassery will organise a painting competition for school and college students in the Malabar region as part of its anti-tobacco campaign.

MCC Director B. Satheeshan said at a press conference here on Saturday that the painting competition would be held at the BEMP High School at Thalassery on October 10. Prizes for 100 best paintings would be distributed at a special function at the MCC located at Kodiyeri, he said. The school with the highest number of participants would be given the MCC's Anti-Tobacco Campaign trophy. . . .

The MCC Director said the centre would be developed into a major cancer care centre in two years. He said the Malabar region accounted for 35 per cent of cancer patients in the State.

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11 shacks selling cigarettes removed from periphery of schools, colleges 

Cracking the whip against shopkeepers selling cigarettes in the radius of 100 metres around the educational centres, the city’s Health department teams identified and removed 11 such violations during a drive to enforce compliance with the ban on smoking in public places today.

The health team identified two shacks outside SCD Government College, which were situated in a radius of 100 metres from Government Senior Secondary School at Gobind Nagar, and also four stalls outside Khalsa College for Women, and removed them.

Four individuals were also issued challans for defying the ban on smoking at the bus stand outside Ludhiana Stock Exchange at Feroze Gandhi market.

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No-smoke zone  

MANCHESTER VILLAGE -- Burr and Burton Academy's Health Clinic Director Megan Cornell (center) and members of the Leaders Advocating Mega Outstandingness and Our Voices eXposed group, also known as BLAMO, want the community to know that the school grounds are a Tobacco-free Zone.

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Danvers High smoking ban fuels concerns  

Now that Danvers High has banned smoking by students on streets and sidewalks around the school, some are wondering whether the move is legal.

"I do have a question about how far they can extend out their authority," said Sarah Wunsch, staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. "Are they going to push the problem one block away and move the problem to another street corner?"

Wunsch said the issue raises questions about the school's authority to regulate students smoking off school grounds.

Town tobacco control regulations are silent about controlling smoking off school property, Public Health Director Peter Mirandi said.

"We are in favor of any thoughtful measure to protect and promote wellness," Mirandi said.

However, he said he has reached out to the state Department of Public Health's Tobacco Control Program for an opinion. Mirandi expects further comment from the Board of Health at its meeting Thursday at the Senior Center. . . .

He was the lone dissenter when the committee voted on the policy Monday.

Bates worried about what may happen if an 18-year-old student gets caught smoking on Cabot Road off school grounds, is fined and suspended, then challenges the legal basis for the punishment, resulting in a costly lawsuit.

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VIDEO: Danvers tries to ban sidewalk, street smoking 

Smoking has already been banned at Danvers High School, and now, there’s a push to stop people from smoking on nearby streets and sidewalks.

The School Committee voted this week to prohibit students from smoking during school hours on streets and sidewalks within sight of the Cabot Road high school, according to the office of the superintendent.

The move comes in response to what Principal Murray said was a growing number of complaints from area residents about students who get together to smoke at the corner of Cabot Road and Exeter Street, which is right across from the school’s front entrance.

The school's superintendent’s office says students caught smoking within sight of the school could face a three-day suspension and a $100 fine.

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