English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Russian
Spanish
Urdu
Youth tobacco usage in Kashmir is accelerating rapidly. Use of cigarettes and hookah, which was at one time confined to adults, has now invaded school campuses. Students purchase tobacco from nearby shops around their schools. This emerging habit must be given immediate attention. An effective campaign for curbing tobacco around schools is not only desirable, but it is a necessity.
Cigarette and gutka shops also function near schools despite the law prohibiting such sales near schools within a 100-yard radius. The COTPA expressly prohibits these kinds of activities. However, weak enforcement makes such shops function smoothly. Children purchase tobacco with ease, and addiction catches up quickly once they begin.
The age of initiation has fallen to 13 in Kashmir. Which means kids in middle school are already trying it out. The earlier one starts, the more difficult one finds it later to stop. Nicotine impacts adolescent brain development. It lowers concentration, memory, and learning. It also predisposes to other addictions.
According to a study by the National Health Mission in Jammu and Kashmir, over 25 percent of 13-to-15-year-old students have used tobacco. Amongst boys, the percentage is even higher. Health officials cite a consistent increase in oral cancer and respiratory diseases caused by tobacco. Doctors in most districts are now treating young smokers for chronic cough, asthma, and signs of early heart disease.
The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) is a further cause for alarm. It reports that over half the school students in India observe tobacco being sold on or around schools. In Kashmir, conditions are even worse due to poor monitoring and social tolerance. Parents and teachers are well aware of what is going on but remain mum. That silence is destroying a whole generation.
Each school should be a tobacco-free zone. Boards that read “No Tobacco Within 100 Yards” are not uncommon, but few take them seriously. The government has initiated awareness programs, but most amount to paper only. Incentive comes from hard, perceptible action.
District magistrates, municipal corporations, and police will have to work together for enforcement. Any shop found selling close to schools should be immediately shut down. Fines must be enough to act as a deterrent. Concurrently, drives for awareness must include teachers, parents, and students. Children must understand why tobacco is detrimental and prohibited close to their schools.
Tobacco control cannot depend on government alone. Community participation is key. Local masjids, mohalla committees, and youth clubs can help identify shops violating the law. Religious and social leaders can guide people through Friday sermons and community meetings. When society takes ownership, the problem shrinks.
Parents are also directly involved. Numerous children start smoking after observing adults in the house or neighborhood. A good example is important. Open conversation regarding the dangers, not punishment or dismissal, discourages experimenting.
Reporters, NGOs, and health activists can provide added strength to the campaign. Media can reveal violations, put pressure on the authorities, and influence public opinion. Schools that strictly adhere to rules need to be brought into the limelight as role models. Success stories motivate others to follow suit. NGOs can train school personnel to observe the surroundings and report violators.
Recurring workshops, street plays, and health talks will keep the issue in the limelight. A campaign should not be a once-a-week initiative on World No Tobacco Day. It has to be a continuous process throughout the year with clearly visible effects.
Some retailers contend that tobacco sales provide them with revenue. But public health is far more dearly bought. Diseases caused by tobacco consume families and hospitals. The economy is hurt when young people get ill early in life. Government can assist by rewarding shopkeepers who switch to other products. Incentives and small business assistance can cause them to quit selling tobacco around schools.
Kashmir’s youth population is its biggest asset. Saving them from tobacco is a moral and civic responsibility. The campaign has to target implementation of the 100-yard rule around schools, conducting frequent inspections, promoting awareness in school visits, engaging communities, and rehabilitating young addicts.
Tobacco outside schools is no minor problem. It is a strike on children’s health and the future of the region. Kashmir requires a collective campaign from administration, schools, parents, and the public. Each cigarette sold outside a school robs a child of his future. Bringing that trade to an end is the only way to assure a healthier generation.
ADVERTISEMENT
