BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: The latest smoking prevalence in Hong Kong is 9.1%, in which more than a half (58.4%) of daily smokers started smoking weekly at age of 10 to 19. Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health initiated the Smoke-free Elite Teens Programme (the Programme) in 2012, aiming to engage youth in tobacco control by nurturing their leadership skills and promoting tobacco-free culture.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: The Programme facilitated training for young leaders through workshops, online classes, smoke-free programmes and study tour. Participants were educated on smoking hazards and information on tobacco control. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards were awarded to the students based on their Smoke-free Programme proposals, reports and the number of Smoke-free Programme successfully held. The Programme encouraged youth to organize smoke-free initiatives in schools and communities, fostering a proactive approach to tobacco control, in which smoke-free messages and information of smoking cessation were transmitted to the participants, their families and the community.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: Over the years, about 3,200 teenagers had completed the Programme, gaining valuable knowledge of smoking and vital skills in leadership, communication, and project planning. The initiative had garnered support from more than 195 secondary schools, youth centers, and uniform groups, reaching over 400,000 students and citizens with tobacco-free messages. During 2023-2024, more than 90% of participants demonstrated increased knowledge and corrected misconceptions about smoking, developing a positive attitude towards tobacco-free living.
CONCLUSIONS: The Programme highlighted the critical role of youth engagement in tobacco control efforts. The findings underscored the potential for youth-led initiatives to drive significant cultural and policy shifts. Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health would continue to keep abreast of the smoking situation in Hong Kong and the global trend in tobacco control to enrich the Programme content and promotion strategy to enhance the youth’s smoke-free knowledge, leaping towards a healthier, smoke-free future.