Jammu, July 25: With rising tendency among the school children for experimenting with the cigarettes at the early age, the state education department has decided to introduce special subject in the text books from next academic session.
The chapter ‘Hazards of Smoking and Drug Addiction’ would be introduced from primary to higher secondary level in all schools, said officials in the education department.
“This way government wants to create awareness among the children about the dangers of the smoking,” they added.
Though Jammu and Kashmir has already banned smoking and selling of products within 100 meters of the educational institutions but still this restriction was not proving enough to curb the smoking among the children.
“It has become necessary as most of the youth take to drugs and smoking between 14 to 20 age group which is the crucial age,” said Minister for Education Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed.
Sayeed said that Government was contemplating to introduce the special subject on hazards of smoking and other addictions in the curriculum so that teachers make them aware about the ill affects of this bad habit.
“I have directed the law enforcement agencies to strictly implement anti-narcotic law,” he added.
The officials said that awareness was the only solution to curb the rising trend among the children who were experimenting smoking at the early age.
Under Section-4 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003 (better known as COTPA), smoking in public places is prohibited and any violation of this Act is punishable with a fine up to Rs 200.
It is pertinent to mention that not only smoking, but AIDS awareness has also become an important subject in the educational institutions. With number of AIDS cases on the rise in the state and lack of awareness among the masses from the threat, State Education Department, along with J&K State AIDS Control Society has decided to train 5000 school teachers to create awareness among the pupils, particularly in rural areas about the deadly disease.

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