Empowering students to create a smoke free culture in schools

Introduction: Adolescent e-cigarette use is a public health challenge, influenced by social and environmental factors. In Australia, despite legislation banning e-cigarettes for adolescents, recent data indicates that 19.8% of individuals aged over 14 have tried e-cigarettes, highlighting the need for community-driven approaches. This project aims to empower students as change agents to advocate for and create supportive environments for e-cigarette prevention and cessation. Methods: Responding to concerns from the school community, we launched a multi-phased initiative called “Moving Waves in Prevention.” The local schools and the NSW Departments of Health and Education supported this project. • Phase 1: Conducted a needs assessment to understand vaping prevalence in the school community and established Special Interest Groups in e-cigarette prevention and cessation. • Phase 2: Held listening workshops with students, staff, and parents from 7 high schools, and with a range of health and education professionals to gather insights on adolescent vaping and preferred prevention cessation strategies. • Phase 3: Developed student-led initiatives, including a poster competition, an online course on vaping, and the Breathe Easy All Together (BEAT) peer-leadership program and evaluation study. • Phase 4: Collaborated with local health services to deliver workshops for school staff and health professionals equipping them with tools to support e-cigarette cessation among students. Results: The needs assessment revealed a lack of Australian context-specific resources on adolescent vaping. Community consultations preferred a holistic, health-centered approach, emphasising education, student empowerment, and cross-sectoral collaboration. This feedback informed capacity-building initiatives, with reports of a 'sense of control' in addressing vaping in schools. Conclusion: Adolescent e-cigarette use requires a multi-faceted, whole of community approach that involves education and engagement of students, staff, and parents. Strong partnerships between health and education sectors are critical for implementing effective strategies to mitigate adolescent vaping and fostering a supportive and smoke-free school environment.