World Health Organisation Releases Guide and Toolkit on Nicotine- and Tobacco-Free Schools 2023

World Health Organisation (WHO), in an aim to protect children’s health just in time for back-to-school season in many countries and to provide schools and their students with the necessary knowledge and tools to successfully adopt a nicotine and tobacco-free campus policy, has recently released two new publications, “Freedom from tobacco and nicotine: guide for schools” and “Nicotine- and tobacco-free school toolkit” on September 26, 2023. Accordingly, the guide recommends four ways to foster a nicotine- and tobacco-free environment for young people as follows: 

• Banning use of nicotine and tobacco products on school campuses
• Prohibiting sale of nicotine and tobacco products near schools
• Banning ads (both direct and indirect) or promotions related nicotine and tobacco products near schools
• Refusing sponsorship or engagement with tobacco and nicotine industries

Also, WHO encourages all countries to adopt more effective measures to make all indoor public places completely smoke-free in accordance with Article 8 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.  

By Trang Linh – Midland & Partners