Stopping Teen Smoking a Challenge

Government figures revealed last week show that in the 1970’s. more than half of all teenagers age 15 to 19 smoked. In 2005, the rate was down to 18 per cent.

To further cut down on these numbers, the latest government anti-smoking publicity campaign aimed at teens was launched last week. L'Etoile spoke to two high school principals of the Lester B. Pearson School Board about student smokers.

The board’s smoking policy is clear - no smoking anywhere on school property.

James Aitken, principal of Macdonald High School in Ste Anne de Bellevue said that the problem is a little harder to control now because the new government laws have pushed the smokers off school property completely. “We used to have a small smoking area 2 or 3 years ago for senior students that was supervised, but now the laws are that there is no smoking anywhere - not even a few feet from the door,” Aitkin said. He said the school is tackling the issue with a pedagogical approach. “It’s part of the Moral Education program - a nurse comes in and talks to the students,“ he said.

Aitken said the main problem is that administrators don’t know which students are smoking now. “It‘s been pushed off the school property. We don’t know who is smoking or not - unless possibly neighbours complain because they congregate in a small place,” he said.

However, if a student is caught smoking on school property - because it’s too cold outside and he sneaks one outside a building, for example - he’s automatically suspended for a day. Aitken said a student is caught at least once a week. “We first contact the parents – because you can’t teach by punishing,” he said.

Principal Michael Miller of Westwood Jr and Sr High Schools in Hudson feels that a concerted effort on all sides – by educators and parents - is needed to help students live healthier lives. “If you’re a smoker, it’s hard to convince your kids not to smoke,” Miller said. He said that parents know when their kids are smokers and not just sneaking a cigarette from time to time. “There’s a change in attitude that’s needed on our all parts,” he said. “We need parents’ support in order to help the kids stop a bad habit.”