This is how UAE schools fight teen smoking

Dubai - Schools are stepping up to kick this habit in the butt.

In 1950s America, cigarette smoking was the epitome of all things cool. But today, Dubai schools are preaching just the opposite in a bit to deter students from picking up the habit.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), nearly all cases of first-time tobacco use takes place before a person finishes high school.
And when Khaleej Times spoke to Dr Hanan Obaid, head of Acute & Chronic Diseases Unit at the Dubai Health Authority's (DHA) Primary Health Care sSector, she said teenagers presenting as patients in her smoke cessation clinic is not uncommon.
But thankfully, schools are stepping up to kick this habit in the butt.
From social awareness campaigns with important underlying messages, to on-site counsellors, Neil Bunting from Greenfield Community School said smoking in schools in this region isn't as prevalent as some schools he has worked in globally.
And with wellness, happiness and mindfulness the new buzz words in school, approaches to smoke cessation could prove even more fruitful in the classroom.
Teen smokers! What are schools doing about it?
"I just remember him taking used cigarette butts from the street and smoking them," 13-year-old M.M.A tells Khaleej Times.
The person M.M.A is referring to is his school friend, Rashid (name changed). He is four years his senior - but thankfully now, he is an ex-smoker.
M.M.A said Rashid was just a schoolboy when he dabbled in his first cigarette, but after four years of puffing, he finally called it quits.
"He was in Grade 7 when he started smoking. The first time I caught him was in the school toilets. He told me he stole the cigarette from his father. That's where he picked up the habit."
Like many his age, Sharjah school student M.M.A said his friend began smoking from a young age. And the reason he started was merely to "experiment".
"Young people do it because they think it's fun. In my class, about three of four of the students smoke."
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), nearly all cases of first time tobacco use takes place before a person finishes high school.
So, if students are so vulnerable to this bad habit, what are schools doing to help curb the temptation of habit?
Neil Bunting is the Head of Secondary at Greenfield Community School, Dubai, and he said the ?approach that most international schools take is strictly one of "zero tolerance" in line with a school campus non-smoking policy.
And in his experience, he told Khaleej Times that smoking in schools in this region isn't as prevalent as some schools he has worked in globally. "Smoking in schools in this region is nowhere near as prevalent as it was in schools I worked in before. In the UK, it was much more common for girls to smoke, whereas in Indo-nesia it was embedded in male cultural customs."
At Greenfield Community School, the approach it takes with older students is that they are "role models to our young and impressionable students.
"Our philosophy is about dev-eloping balanced young people who are well educated in terms of physical well-being and how to look after themselves by having exercise, a healthy diet and being aware of the detrimental effect of smoking. We also focus our programmes on the effects smoking has on the body, the anti-social aspect, the effects of passive smoke."
With a strong emphasis on the dangers of smoking as one of the frontline awareness strategies at Gems International School, Principal David Ottaviano told Khal-eej Times it goes for teachers and parents.
"All GEMS schools' premises are anti-smoking - teachers, staff, families and students are not permitted to smoke on campus. Additionally, our parents' association has been actively running campaigns to create awareness."
From an educational perspective, he said schools can better curb this trend among young people by honing in on the 'peer pressure' technique.
"That works best with teenagers. Instructional programmes which make good use of this technique such as peer counseling are the most successful. We are constantly promoting anti-smoking and seek to spread the awareness on a continuous basis."
At the Indian High School, Dubai, CEO Ashok Kumar said it is imperative schools first decipher why a child might be vulnerable to pick up a cigarette - and from there, you can work to prevent it.
"Smoking is taken up by teens for a number of reasons, under peer influence, as a social habit, to fit in the group, to give the appearance of being grown up, sometimes to emulate a popular icon or a movie star or even as a means of showing defiance."
Kumar said the school "definitely plays a role in educating students about the harmful effects of smoking" and it is the responsibility of the schools as well as parents to jointly work in creating awareness about this issue.

Source: www.illuminations.ae

- kelly@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai