The Ravenshaw University here on Thursday observed the National Youth Day (the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda) in a unique way by fervently appealing to its students indulging in smoking and chewing paan, gutka, deluxe mix, and other tobacco products to quit the bad unhealthy habit forever.

The university’s dispensary would provide expert counselling, tips and advices, motivation, awareness, consultation with doctors, replacement therapy and even free medication, if required, to  the students who want to quit the habit and also to those who have simply no intention to quit, said Dean of Students’ Welfare (DSW), Dr Partha Sarathi Mishra.

“Our students are the future of the country. Swami Vivekananda always believed in the power of youth. Sadly, a surprisingly large number of our students are ruining their precious youth by getting into this habit out of peer pressure and curiosity even though they are well aware of the detrimental effects of tobacco on their physical and mental wellbeing. We cannot see them destroyed like this,” he said.

It may be mentioned here that smoking as well as use of tobacco products has been banned completely in all educational institutions following the notifications issued both by the Central and State Governments.

Even though the sale of cigarettes, tobacco and gutka within a radius of 100 yards from an educational institution has been banned, the law has passed into oblivion and several vendors are still openly selling cigarettes and gutka at the College Square and Malgodown area adjacent to the University.

A recent survey in India has shown that tobacco is used by nearly 70 per cent of college students. Unfortunately, educational institutions in the country do not bother about the physical and psychological wellbeing of the students while over 70 per cent of colleges and Universities in the United States offer some form of tobacco cessation programme through student health insurance with encouraging results, added Mishra.