NERS NEWS — Surabaya — As a preventive effort to protect the younger generation from the harmful effects of addictive substances, Nursing Professional Education students from Universitas Airlangga (Unair) conducted a health education session on the dangers of smoking and Narcotics, Psychotropics, and Other Addictive Substances (NAPZA) at SMP Negeri 18 Surabaya. The activity was organized by students undertaking their Community Nursing rotation as part of their commitment to promoting adolescent health in the school environment.
The primary target of the activity was all seventh-grade students at SMPN 18 Surabaya. This age group was considered crucial because the transition from elementary school to early adolescence is a phase in which children are particularly vulnerable to environmental influences and heightened curiosity.
The material was delivered interactively through lectures and discussions presented in an engaging manner. To facilitate participants’ understanding, the students used informative PowerPoint (PPT) presentations and a short educational video. Through these media, the students learned about the biological effects of toxic substances in cigarettes, the dangers of NAPZA dependence, as well as the legal and social consequences that could negatively affect their future.
The participants showed high enthusiasm throughout the session, particularly during the question-and-answer segment. Many students actively asked questions about how to refuse peer pressure and how to recognize warning signs of substance abuse in their surroundings.
The school expressed its full appreciation for the initiative undertaken by the Community Nursing students and hoped that the knowledge gained by the seventh-grade students would serve as a means of self-protection against risky behaviors.
Writer: Paula Juana Martins Nai Buti
