West Bengal launches tobacco‑free schools campaign, CMO tasked

Kolkata, July 23 – The West Bengal government has issued a fresh standard operating procedure (SOP) aimed at shielding school‑aged children from tobacco addiction. The SOP, dispatched to chief health officers across all districts, mandates an anti‑tobacco awareness drive in every school. Any student identified as using cigarettes, gutkha or any other nicotine product will receive behavioural counselling and, if needed, referral to a larger health centre for specialised treatment.

Under the new guidelines, each school must conduct a self‑assessment every six months, scoring a maximum of 100 points. Institutions that achieve 90 points or higher will be awarded a “Tobacco‑Free Educational Institution” certificate. The drive follows a recent survey that revealed 8.5 % of 13‑ to 15‑year‑olds in the state are regular users of cigarettes or gutkha.

A dedicated block‑level team comprising a medical officer from the National Child Health Programme, a staff nurse, a pharmacist, a counsellor and the block health manager will inspect schools, monitor compliance, and coordinate with parents, local panchayats and police to curb any illicit tobacco sales within a 100‑yard radius of school premises.