Addiction of school students to tobacco: HC issues directions to Centre, State

The court directed State to establish a Child Tobacco Cessation Centre in each district to function as per guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and ensure at least one Specialist, Medical Social Worker or Child Psychologist was available to counsel/treat the children

Expressing concern over addiction of school students to banned tobacco products like ‘Cool Lip’, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has issued a set of directions to the Central and the State governments to curb the menace.

Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy observed, “Extreme emergency looms. There is a sudden spurt of children using tobacco products, more specifically a product named ‘Cool Lip’. Huge quantities of tobacco products are seized in Tamil Nadu, especially in and around schools. Teachers are literally crying, unable to control, teach or do anything with these children who are getting into addiction and violent and indifferent behaviour.”

The court directed the State to establish a Child Tobacco Cessation Centre in each district to function as per guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and ensure at least one Specialist, Medical Social Worker or Child Psychologist was available to counsel/treat the children.

The court directed that a two-member — one teacher and one volunteer from the PTA or from the vicinity — Tobacco Monitoring Committee should be formed in every school, which would periodically inspect the school premises and the vicinity and inform the police station/food safety officer if there was any evidence of use or sale of tobacco products.

The court directed the State to implement Tobacco-Free Educational Institution guidelines in letter and spirit, conduct oral/dental health checks for all school students periodically — at least twice in every academic year — and look out for tobacco/nicotine stains and, if they were present, without causing any embarrassment to the child, counsel the parents and the child, ensuring continuance of its education.

School headmasters should coordinate the treatment and periodical the follow-up. A mobile application could be developed to upload information by the committee members and report of action. District-wise monitoring committees and a State committee should also be formed to oversee the functioning of the members, the court directed.

A mobile number, toll-free number or a website should also be created and publicised for anybody to report sale of tobacco products. Every school should comply with the ToFEI guidelines by erecting boards, forming monitoring committees, maintaining data/register recording compliance and self-analysing their score, the court directed.

School Education Department could issue a circular enabling regular inspection of children’s bags without affecting their morale. It should, in consultation with Health Department, also conduct awareness programmes.

The court directed the Centre to consider the grave situation and issue further directions under Section 86 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

If tobacco products were seized near schools, offenders should be booked under Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015, read with Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They should also be booked under Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the court said.

The court was hearing the bail petition filed by Aunestraja, who was accused of being in possession of 27 packets of ‘Cool Lip’. It is said that he had purchased the packets from other States and brought them into Tamil Nadu. The interim bail granted to him was made absolute.

Published - November 01, 2024 08:28 pm IST