Preventing E-Cigarettes from Entering Schools: The Role of Families and Schools is Very Important

In recent times, the Department of Education and Training of Nghe An province has focused on promoting coordination with relevant agencies in propaganda, monitoring and inspection activities on the implementation of tobacco and electronic cigarette prevention in school environments. PNVN Newspaper had an interview with Ms. Ho Thi Chau Loan - Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Nghe An province - regarding the above issue.

+ Could you please tell us how the Department of Education and Training of Nghe An province has implemented the work of preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco in general and e-cigarettes in particular?

- After gathering information and reporting from schools about the trend of e-cigarette smoking starting in 2020, we promptly issued documents directing and guiding the implementation of tobacco harm prevention and control (PCTHTL) in schools; Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control Plan of the Education and Training sector; Decision to establish (reform) the Steering Committee for school health work (integrating the direction of implementing PCTHTL).

Develop and issue an inspection plan, establish a team to inspect school health work (including the implementation of PCTHTL in schools); organize implementation, inspect, monitor and evaluate the emulation of collectives and individuals in the education and training sector.

Strengthen propaganda and education for students to understand the harmful effects of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Promote the role and responsibility of the School Psychology Counseling Team, promote the spirit and responsibility of each cadre, teacher and employee in understanding psychology, promptly detecting, supporting and preventing students' smoking and e-cigarette behavior.

In addition, we also encourage and promptly reward exemplary students who have quit smoking and e-cigarettes, and at the same time remind, criticize and strictly discipline students who still smoke in and out of school.

In coordination with the Ministry of Education and Training, Tien Phong Newspaper organized direct communication campaigns on the harmful effects of smoking and e-cigarettes in a number of high schools; in addition, it increased coordination with local authorities to inspect and strictly prohibit the sale and marketing of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and advertising products with images related to tobacco around school areas.

Organize a commitment signing between the school and parents to manage students not to smoke and use electronic cigarettes. Strengthen coordination between the school, family and society in managing students to prevent them from participating in social evils, crimes and violations of the law.

Direct educational institutions to coordinate with the health sector and relevant sectors to organize communication and dissemination sessions on the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms; the harmful effects of smoking in schools. Include criteria on the implementation of tobacco control in schools for competition at the end of each school year.

Educational institutions coordinate with the Provincial and District Steering Committees for Tobacco Control to organize communication sessions in various forms such as "intra-curricular" and "extra-curricular", raising awareness of the Law and legal documents guiding the implementation of the Law on Tobacco Control for secondary and high school students (100% of districts, cities and towns).

Educational institutions sign a commitment with parents to manage students and prevent them from participating in social evils, crimes and violations of the law. Issue regulations prohibiting smoking in schools.

Coordinate with Nghe An Department of Health to organize training courses on tobacco control and prevention, and communicate about the harmful effects of smoking in schools. Coordinate with the Department of Health to organize inspections and supervision of tobacco control and prevention implementation at educational institutions in the area.

+ With the direction and drastic participation of the Nghe An Education and Training Department, what results have been achieved, Madam?

Through the implementation of the Law on Anti-Corruption, the awareness and actions of officials, teachers and students in the whole sector have changed positively. Up to now, anti-corruption work in the sector has achieved quite good results, such as:

Educational institutions disseminate and thoroughly educate all civil servants, public employees, and workers not to smoke at work, on school grounds, and implement anti-smoking activities in meetings and activities of units and mass organizations, through union meetings, union activities, on website systems, and on document management software systems.

Diversify forms of propaganda such as: Posting relevant legal documents, propagating the harmful effects of traditional cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, shisha. Organizing activities in response to "World No Tobacco Day and National No Tobacco Week" with the message "Tobacco - a threat to our environment".

Schools that have done a good job of disseminating the State's legal documents, the Plan to implement the tobacco control program, responding to World No Tobacco Day, 100% of units with a plan to "Build a smoke-free school environment" should integrate tobacco control education programs, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, shisha, etc. through extracurricular activities, after-school activities, the first 15 minutes of class, flag salute and other educational activities of schools.

100% of staff and teachers are fully aware of the harmful effects of tobacco; many staff, teachers and students have been encouraged to quit smoking completely. Up to now, 98% of staff, civil servants and employees of the Department and its affiliated units do not smoke (compared to 5 years ago, the number of non-smokers was 60-70%);

100% of schools establish a Tobacco Control Steering Committee (or integrate it into the School Health Steering Committee); 100% of schools commit to building a smoke-free school.

+ During the implementation process, did Nghe An Department of Education and Training encounter any difficulties or problems? What suggestions or recommendations do you have?

Nghe An Education and Training Department is a province with a large school system, difficult to travel to areas. Therefore, propaganda and mobilization work faces many difficulties. Funding for PCTHTL activities is not available (mainly integrated into career budget), so propaganda and dissemination work is not specialized (such as organizing propaganda in the form of dramatization, organizing competitions, printing documents, leaflets, etc.).

Because the cigarette market is widespread and cheap, people can easily access and buy cigarettes in public places, especially coffee shops, restaurants and other entertainment venues... causing difficulties and hindering efforts to quit smoking and reduce the smoking rate, so the implementation of the Law on Tobacco Control in life still has many shortcomings.

We recommend that authorities at all levels and relevant sectors such as the Police, Industry and Trade, and Market Management need to strengthen inspection and examination of the implementation of the Law on Tobacco Control at units licensed to produce tobacco, buy and sell tobacco materials, and wholesale and retail tobacco products.

Strengthen inspection, control and strict handling of violations such as: illegal purchase, sale and use of regular cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, shisha; trading in counterfeit cigarettes; violations in selling tobacco products, violations of regulations on labeling, printing health warnings, stamping and other violations according to the provisions of law.

To prevent e-cigarettes from reaching school-age children, the role of family and school is very important. For families, parents need to spend time caring for, listening to children and supervising their activities in life on the basis of respect to avoid leading to rebellious behavior due to being imposed.

Work with the school to learn more about your child’s activities and relationships to detect any unusual signs. If you notice any unusual signs, contact your doctor or psychologist for early examination and treatment.

+ Thank you very much!

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/ngan-chan-thuoc-la-dien-tu-xam-nhap-hoc-duong-vai-tro-cua-gia-dinh-va-nha-truong-rat-quan-trong-20250821102957494.htm