Pattaya School No. 8 worked to keep students off cigarettes for World No Tobacco Day.
City Councilman Rattanachai Sutidechanai joined Principal Aaphorn Rachsinghoo at the school’s May 29 event, two days before the worldwide tobacco-awareness day.
The school and representatives from the Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Office of the Pattaya Public Health Department organized activities to warn students of the risks of tobacco use and to stop smoking if they had already started.
Students drew pictures to promote the anti-smoking campaign.
“Smoking has spread everywhere, even to educational institutes,” Rattanachai said. “Research shows that 90 percent of new smokers are teenagers ages 15-24 and the smoking rate is on the rise.”
The councilman said every hour 600 people die because of smoking while smokers spend an average of 11 baht per day, or 4,210 baht per year on cigarettes. He added that studies show that 95 percent of those addicted to cocaine or heroin started as teens smoking cigarettes.
City Councilman Rattanachai Sutidechanai tests his lung capacity at the school to promote World No Tobacco Day.
Students from Pattaya School No. 8 listen to speakers teaching the dangers of smoking.
This picture was singled out as one of the best.
