Stop Smoking in the School, Please!

By Azys Syaiful Anwar

Just for moments ago, there is a rule prohibiting smoking in the public, especially in Jakarta (PERDA No. 2 Tahun 2005). This rule aims to reduce the number of smokers and make a healthier air to breath. Besides, it also intends to prevent the influence of smoking habit, especially to children.

Smoking is considered as dangerous activities since there are many negative effects that may happen, such as lung cancer, impotence, and pregnancy problems. Tar and nicotine are the example of dangerous substance of cigarette. Because of its dangerous effect, some people avoid and teach their children to keep healthy without smoke.

Not only in the family range, smoking is also written as forbidden matter in the school policy. However, some teachers or school staffs still perform to smoke in front of the students. It seems that it’s just a simple matter that can be ignored. Then, does it have direct impact to students? 

Students not only have psychomotor but also cognitive ability that let them learned directly to the nature/ environment. Teacher may ask students not to smoke the cigarette. But, will students accept that rule if their teacher do that habit? Analogically students need a positive modeling that can be performed by teacher. When teachers want students not to enjoy the cigarette, then they should do it as well.