“A Breath of Fresh Air: A Smoke Free Future”

A Breath of Fresh Air : A Smoke Free Future looks at the thoughts and opinions around the Tobacco and Vapes bill from young people and key senior stakeholders in the healthcare sector.

This project recruited a youth advisory group made up of 16–25-year-olds from across London. They have an interest in youth Smoking and Vaping affairs and express their lived experiences, opinions and overall thoughts in regular workshops, trips and focus groups.

The objectives for this work included:

• Gathering data from young people and stakeholders.

• Comparing perspectives to identify gaps.

• Sharing findings to shape effective tobacco control strategies.

The process began with launching a survey in 2024 to collect qualitative data from young people across London, followed by focus groups that delved deeper into their experiences, social influences, and opinions. To broaden the scope, additional focus groups took place in 2025, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of youth attitudes. Stakeholder interviews were also conducted to gain insights into their priorities, challenges, and strategies for tobacco control.

The findings looks at young people's views, stakeholder opinions, and compares both to find key overlaps and gaps. This helps shape strong recommendations to support policies that reduce tobacco use among young Londoners and promote a healthier, smoke free future.

The research was conducted by the Stop Smoking and Vaping Board, in collaboration with Partnership for Young London (PYL), the London Tobacco Alliance (LTA) and NHS London. Partnership for Young London is a small charity dedicated to creating networks for young people and involving them in policy and advocacy. They work alongside NHS London and the London Tobacco Alliance, organisations committed to making London smoke-free by 2030.

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