ATHENS. The prevention of smoking in schools was the focus of a meeting between Education Minister Niki Kerameos and lung specialists Panagiotis Behrakis, chair of the Health Ministry’s national antismoking committee and Vasso Evangelopoulou, researcher at the George Behrakis research lab of the Greek Anticancer Society.

The two lung specialists presented to the minister education material of the initiative SmokeFreeGreece which aims to send positive messages for life, health, sports and against tobacco addiction to pupils. They also asked for the Education Ministry’s support in information programmes for pupils against smoking.

According to an announcement, Kerameos expressed the view that tackling addictions as smoking and drugs and the promotion of a healthy way of living should be incorporated in the new thematic units examined by the ministry which will be added to the existing school programme, including volunteering, environmental protection, protection from natural disasters and other themes.