Children allowed to smoke in school breaks

[Catherine]

Dear Bo Beep,

...if schools decisions can easily be overturned by parental decisions we run the risk of having all sorts of rebellion in the school

Reading the article, I wasn't under the impression that this was a parent lead policy, but an attempt by the school to tackle the problem.

I don't think it makes any sense to say we want to discourage kids from smoking and then given them a designated area to do it in!

This is true if the kids assume that what is allowed is always good for them, because the rest is banned. It is not true for adults, and teens have to learn that it is not always the case. The school has to be very clear on it.

The advantage of an open smoking policy is that kids can be individually helped by their parents and the school, instead of being submitted to a blanket antismoking education. In addition, they will be less antagonised and it can help with rebellious teens.

We need to remember that this is a trial in a school that seems to have a hudge problem, and has tried different aproaches before.
I think that it has a chance of working only if it is backed up by a very strong and well thought out policy. I hope that it is.

The school shows a strong commitment in dealing with the problem, and I don’t think that their trial should be lightly dismissed.
Having failed with the standard anti-smokng policy, what other new way forward would you suggest?

[Bo Peep]

True Catherine,

Perhaps when you get to a situation where kids are addicted in their teens you've missed the boat somewhere. I appreciate this is a very difficult situation, but I still don't hold to the 'if you can't beat them join them' way of thinking.

If anything this is going to be a very interesting 'experiment' and I for one would be fascinated to see if they have curbed or exacerbated their problems in a few years. Actually that's probably not correct, because they should have (without doubt) curbed their problems, because if teachers don't have to chastise over smoking and kids can smoke when they want to, it ought to make for a fairly quiet life. However, the answer to the question, 'will it make smoking more, or less appealing?' remains to be seen.

[SPIRIO]

What utter nonsense is this.

Have any of these people every considered what message is being given to these teenagers? Smoking is illegal for under 16s - what possible reason is there for allowing them to smoke in breaks?. By all means help them , counsel them and advice them and bring it out in the open - however allowign them to actually smoke is giving one message only - that they are allowed with parental and teachers permission to break the law!!

Smoking generally forbidden as well as illegal in some places for adults such as on planes, and it is not allowed in most work places and some public places. Adults have to conform in these situations. Would an adult's addiction to smoking be accommodated by any employer ? - No! making special rules for children is not giving a good example.

I can't see any reason to permit smoking in between breaks - to me it is ludicrous. What will they allow next - drug addicts to take drugs between lessons?

[SPIRIO]

I forgot to mention that in scotland they are proposing to increase the age for smoking to 18 years.

[Guest]

I was under the impression that it was illegal to sell tabacco products to under 16's but it is not illegal for under 16's to smoke. Therefore, the schools in question are not breaking the law. Whether it is sensible or desirable to allow under 16's to smoke is another question altogether.

[SPIRIO]

It may be true that the smoking itself may not be illegal for under 16s but buying cigarettes is. Clearly though the message of the law is that under 16s should not smoke as if they were able to the law would not prevent them from buying.

The learning centre is going against the grain of the law since smoking is to be banned in all public places (and will only be permissible in some places such as in your own home and car ) by next year.

[guest65]

I wasn't disagreeing with the essence of what you were saying - I was disagreeing as to whether the school was breaking the letter of the law and it would appear that we both agree that they are not.

Like yourself I believe that the schools approach is completely wrong. Infact it may encourage children who would not otherwise have smoked in school time to actually start doing so.

Very interesting point about banning smoking in public places. I wonder if the school have considered that and how they will address this issue when this does eventually become law.

[Rebel]

The learning centre is going against the grain of the law since smoking is to be banned in all public places (and will only be permissible in some places such as in your own home and car ) by next year.

I think that you'll find that any proposed ban relates to enclosed public spaces, so a place provided outside would be quite sufficient to ensure that no other individuals are harmed by the 2nd hand smoke.

As an ex-smoker from the age of 11 I can assure you that part of the reason for my smoking at school was actually the illicit nature and the bravado of the activity. To have that defused and to be treated more like someone with an illness may have been just what was needed. Of course, that would imply a school system that genuinely cared about me as a person - when of course I know that it didn't.

To stick our heads in the sand and pretend that teenagers don't 'do' smoking or other abusive activities is merely to ignore the problem and hope that it goes away by expecting 'the law' to work some kind of magic, when it just can't.

It should be obvious that the 'law' is certainly the bluntest of instruments to look to when dealing with the complexities of teenage life. Considering that a lot of these difficulties have been created by the pressures of a school and employment system that generally serves to treat these emerging citizens like 'cogs in a machine', I think that we owe them a bit more than harsh words and the recommendation to 'just say no'.

I think you will find that if you scratch away at the surface of a young smoker / drinker / addict, you will find a child that has a sad story to tell. Corking up the symptoms isn't necessarily the best answer for a child - and is more likely to merely provide a suitable authoritarian target to kick against, at a time when the teachers are perhaps best placed to lend a helping hand.

[jah]

I think that you've all missed the point here. By doing a little bit of elementary research, I've found out that the school in question (Tinshill Learning Centre) is a Pupil Referral Unit catering for excluded pupils and those at risk of exclusion. They look after children with all sorts of behavioural problems, and their Ofsted report says that the unit is effective and provides value for money.
By coming to a deal with the young people at the unit to allow them to smoke during breaks, they have probably got them to agree NOT to smoke during lessons!!
If this initiative gets these children back into education, then 'Good Luck' to the Staff at the Centre.

[Guest]

Typical media only feeding us part of the story! I know nothing about the psychology of dealing with excluded or troubled pupils and so am not in a position to preach down from on high as to the rights and wrongs of this case. However, I do hope they have also employed the services of a smoking sessation counsellor.