P3: Preventing the uptake of smoking by young people The WTCA recognise that it is essential to continue to offer stop smoking support to those that smoke, but in addition to support initiatives which target children and young people to prevent them from ever starting. The government national plan on tobacco encourages local areas to ‘consider action to further protect young people from exposure to smoking so they do not see it as a normal behaviour’, reducing the likelihood of them becoming smokers. The WTCA provided funding to the PHSE Schools Coordinator to lead on a school based project to raise students understanding of the way in which young people are targeted by the tobacco industry (to replace the thousands of people that die each year from smoking related disease) to the ill health dangers smoking has on their developing bodies and damage it causes to their skin and appearance. Progress Operation Smoke Storm (OSS), an online learning tool for use by students in schools and colleges, was identified as a good starting point to gain access and support within schools on tobacco control. December 2011 all secondary schools Schools advised of Catch 22 available contacted outlining OSS and benefits to provide onsite support for children of participation that want to quit smoking 5 schools and 2 Pupil Referral Units 130 school students that smoke using OSS provided with quit support and advice Advert circulated to schools on joint 49 students quit at 4 weeks Trading Standards and Stop Smoking Service session on age restricted Age progression software purchased goods and ill health dangers of for use in schools and at health smoking events - trialed at Local Authority Health Fair by students from the pupil Information supplied to schools on referral unit that attended. the Plain Packs Protect campaign
P3: Preventing the uptake of smoking by young people The WTCA recognise that it is essential to continue to offer stop smoking support to those that smoke, but in addition to support initiatives which target children and young people to prevent them from ever starting. The government national plan on tobacco encourages local areas to ‘consider action to further protect young people from exposure to smoking so they do not see it as a normal behaviour’, reducing the likelihood of them becoming smokers. The WTCA provided funding to the PHSE Schools Coordinator to lead on a school based project to raise students understanding of the way in which young people are targeted by the tobacco industry (to replace the thousands of people that die each year from smoking related disease) to the ill health dangers smoking has on their developing bodies and damage it causes to their skin and appearance. Progress Operation Smoke Storm (OSS), an online learning tool for use by students in schools and colleges, was identified as a good starting point to gain access and support within schools on tobacco control. December 2011 all secondary schools contacted outlining OSS and benefits of participation 5 schools and 2 Pupil Referral Units using OSS Advert circulated to schools on joint Trading Standards and Stop Smoking Service session on age restricted goods and ill health dangers of smoking Information supplied to schools on the Plain Packs Protect campaign Schools advised of Catch 22 available to provide onsite support for children that want to quit smoking 130 school students that smoke provided with quit support and advice 49 students quit at 4 weeks Age progression software purchased for use in schools and at health events - trialed at Local Authority Health Fair by students from the pupil referral unit that attended.