Anti-Smoking Measures Implemented by Educational Institutions and the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance, 2002.

Abstract

Various legislative measures have been taken in Pakistan to restrict smoking. The law prohibits smoking in public places, which include educational institutions, and provides the procedure and the punishments regarding its violations. Educational institutions, instead of observing the law, have devised their own anti-smoking measures. Consequently, educational institutions themselves determine guilt and impose and collect fines whenever students smoke on their premises. Thus, by implementing their own disciplinary processes and by themselves awarding punishments, educational institutions are acting contrary to what the law has ordained. In order to demonstrate the same, websites and other publically available documents of various educational institutions were consulted to obtain information regarding their anti-smoking policies and rules. The information confirmed that educational institutions are not acting in conformity with the law. It is recommended that awareness-raising campaigns must be launched for educational institutions and students in order for the law to take its course and achieve its objective.