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By Natalie Hami
Published on April 13, 2011

EARLY intervention on smoking among gymnasium students is the focal point of a new pilot programme announced by the Minister of Education Andreas Demetriou.

“The programme ‘Fred goes to School’ is directed at gymnasium students who have been sent to the principal for smoking on the school premises and aims at the early intervention on the part of the school, for the prevention of dependence on smoking,” said Demetriou.

Teaming up with the Anti Drug Council and the Ministry of Health, the programme will begin immediately and will last until the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

‘Fred goes to School’ also aims to make students aware of the consequences of dependence, social skills as well as change their attitude towards the habit and the gaining of individual management skills on the dangers of dependence on smoking.

According to Demetriou, the school councillor, who will be trained for the programme, will be able to determine to what extent a student is willing to take part in the programme, using the incentive that they will not receive the punishment that the school would usually dish out.

After completion of the programme, that lasts for about eight school periods, the student will present a certificate of attendance to the principal to ensure that they are not subjected to the school’s punishment. “In this way, not only does the school not act as the punisher but helps by educating them to escape from the bad habit of smoking,” said Demetriou.

Despite the fact that smoking is highly prevalent in Cyprus with 32 per cent of the population puffing away, 49 per cent of whom are men and 17 per cent women, very little statistical date is available on the prevalence of smoking among gymnasium students.

However the World Health Organisation conducted a Global Youth Tobacco Survey spanning 2005 to 2006, showing that among gymnasium students around 13 per cent of boys have smoked cigarettes on one or more days during a 30-day period, and 7 per cent of girls have done the same. Around 16 per cent of students asserted that they planned to start smoking within a year.

‘Fred goes to School’ is based on the European model ‘Fred goes Net’ which is the continuation of a successful German programme for the early intervention of young drug users.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/fred- ... l/20110413

He will be honoured that this has been named after him, but let's hope he learns something!