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26
A SCHOOL ANTI-SMOKING SOCIETY
(Adapted from a pamphlet written for 'Family Doctor')
When anti-smoking propaganda was intensified following
the publication of the report of the Royal College of
Physicians, special attention was directed towards the
school child. It was felt that no effort should be spared
to prevent children from starting to smoke and to induce
those who had begun to give it up.
Following a visit by the newly formed anti-smoking
unit of the Central Council for Health Education in
October 1962, the pupils in a comprehensive school in
Camberwell were asked how they thought they could best
contribute to the campaign. One or two suggested that
they might form an anti-smoking club. They elected a
committee of six - three boys and three girls - which was
encouraged to conduct its own plan of campaign.
Their activities consist of regular talks to different
groups in the school, broadcasts to the whole school on
the public address system, the use of posters and films
and group discussions. Everything depends, in a venture
such as this, on stimulating and maintaining interest.
This is no easy matter, yet, thanks to the energy and
enthusiasm of the chairman of the committee - a boy of
16 - and the full support of the headmaster and his staff
obstacles have been overcome.
The Medical Officer of Health keeps in close touch
with the school, and makes available audio-visual aids.
He also arranges panels of speakers to take Part in
discussions and answer questions. Those who contribute
include well known personalities in the field of sport,
physical education experts and beauty culturists. The
different branches of medicine are represented and so are
dentists. The Editor of 'Family Doctor' and the Direct or
of the Central Council for Health Education are regular
participants. It is believed that a basic principle in
this aspect of health education must be to present young
people with all the facts, so that they may discuss them
amongst themselves and form their own conclusions. A
pontifical approach achieves no lasting conviction of the
importance of this facet of health preservation.
Sound and television broadcasts at home and recordings
made for broadcasts over the Canadian and American syst ems