How our schools help students who smoke at school (5D Lam Oi Tung)

A recent study has found that the number of teenagers taking drugs has soared over the past few years in Hong Kong. The result is alarming and it is clear. The extent of the problem is more serious than has previously been believed. In fact, smoking has become a problem at our school and some students have even been caught smoking at school. As teenagers are facing many pressures from their study and peer groups with the unknown effect and the curiosity of smoking, they try to smoke to relieve their stress and boredom. In view of this, there are a number of ways that our schools can tackle the issue.

One solution is to teach students about the harmful effects of smoking. There are several serious side-effects of smoking on your body such as heart problems, lung diseases, anxiety and even panic. Our school should play a more active role in teaching students the consequences of being addicted to smoke to deter them from smoking effectively.

A second solution is to offer counseling services to students. A recent survey has revealed that four in ten lower secondary students are depressed. From the survey, it has found that youth depression could be connected with poor peer relation, the environmental change, the pressure from attending new schools and having important exams. Providing counseling training can give assistance to students to alleviate stress in a proper way instead of smoking.

A third solution is to offer some extracurricular classes. Dancing, drawing, singing and playing music are the popular activities among teenagers to spend their spare time. Offering extracurricular classes such as hip hop class and drawing class can develop students potential and interests. Thus, students can focus on their interests to stay away from smoking and help them to alleviate boredom.

In conclusion, youth smoking is a big issue in Hong Kong. To deter students from smoking, our schools should teach students about the harmful effects of smoking, offer counseling services and some extracurricular classes.