Jaipur: Most students in the 13-15 year age group smoke or use tobacco products in schools in the state, according to Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4) released on Monday.
After school (93.8%), students prefer a friend’s house (2.4%), home (1.1%), social event (1%), public places (0.9%) and others (0, 7%) for smoking, survey events.
But the survey found that the prevalence of tobacco consumption among children (13-15 years) in the state is far less than the national average.
Although 4.1% in the state, it is 8.5% national.
Likewise, the use of tobacco products among female students in the same age group is 7.4% nationally, but only 0.4% in Rajasthan.
School-based surveys are debated by the Ministry of Health and family welfare, it has been carried out by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) under the guidance of the Technical Advisory Committee with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Surveys show that 100% school principles are aware of cigarettes and other tobacco product laws (COTPA), 2003; 97.1% of schools follow the ‘tobacco free school; and 94.1% of them realized the policy featured the ‘tobacco-free’ board.
In addition, 64.7% of schools have been authorized by the state government to collect fines for violations below Section 6 COTPA.
Although the prohibition on sales of tobacco products to children, 98% of the current Bidi and 97% of cigarette smokers buy it from stores, stores, street vendors or vending machines.
The disturbing fact is that 99.5% of Bidi and 98% of cigarette smokers are not rejected these products because of their age, according to the survey.
IIPS Professor Murli Dharan said this survey was conducted in 34 schools that had 2,735 students.
About 90% of children say they develop tobacco consumption habits from school.
The survey called for policy recommendations, including starting an anti-tobacco campaign at the elementary school level because most students began using tobacco as early as seven to eight years.
The encouraging part is that 89% of students try to stop smoking in the past 12 months, with 34% of them using smokeless tobacco for this purpose.
“Even though the consumption of tobacco among the 13-15-year-old population in Rajasthan is far less than the national average, we put efforts to take it to zero here,” said a health department official.
He said to prevent consumption of tobacco among young people, the state government has imposed a ban on e-cigarettes and hookah bars.
If someone runs a hookah bar, he will be responsible for 1 to 6 years in prison and is fine from Rs 1 Lakh to Rs 3 Lakh.
WHO representatives of Vineeta praised the Ministry of Health and the state government for good work done in control of de-addiction and tobacco.