Projects & Research Partnerships

Introduction

The UK Government is introducing significant new legislation to reduce smoking and youth vaping, including a ban on single-use vapes and measures to create a 'smoke-free generation'. Local councils now face the crucial task of implementing these national policies effectively within their communities.

The STAR project aims to ensure that these local responses are informed by the perspectives of young people, who will be significantly impacted by these changes. By actively involving youth voices, we aim to support the development of more equitable and effective local policies.

Background

A significant number of adults in the UK continue to smoke, contributing to health inequalities and serious illnesses. While vapes offer a less harmful alternative for smokers, their increasing use among young people who have never smoked is a growing concern.

In response, the UK government is implementing key legislative changes:

• A ban on single-use vapes (June 2025)
• An excise tax on vape liquids (October 2026)
• The 'smoke-free generation' policy, raising the legal age for tobacco purchasing annually from 2027

Local authorities are now planning how to implement these changes within their local contexts. To ensure these plans are effective and fair, it is vital to include the perspectives of those most affected, particularly young people.

Why this research is important

While the value of including young people's perspectives in health policymaking is increasingly recognised, their opinions are not consistently integrated into decision-making processes. The forthcoming national legislation on tobacco and vaping will significantly affect the lives of young people, making it crucial that youth voices inform local implementation strategies.

Previous research into young people's views on food policy shows that young people often feel excluded from local decision-making. By meaningfully engaging with young people, local authorities can formulate more relevant, effective and equitable policies.

The STAR project aims to facilitate this engagement, not only for tobacco and vaping but also to provide broader insights into the importance of incorporating youth voices in public health policymaking to better reflect the needs and experiences of young people.

The project plan

Our primary goal is to understand how local authorities can effectively incorporate young people's views when developing policies related to the new national tobacco and vaping legislation. We will achieve this through a collaborative approach:

1. Hearing from young people: We will conduct focus groups with young people (aged 11-17) in Doncaster, Tower Hamlets and Newcastle to understand their perspectives on the new laws, potential consequences, and what support they believe councils could offer. We will ensure diverse participation, including young people with varied experiences of smoking and vaping.
   
2. Talking to local policymakers: We will interview local council professionals involved in children and young people's health policies to understand their approaches to the new legislation, their current engagement with young people, anticipated challenges, and how youth input could be beneficial.
   
3. Bringing ideas together: We will facilitate workshops with local authority representatives to share findings from the youth and policymaker discussions. Together, we will co-develop practical recommendations for meaningfully involving young people in local policy decisions.
   
4. Sharing what we learn: We will disseminate our findings and recommendations through accessible reports, presentations and summaries to local, regional, and national stakeholders in tobacco and vaping policy and child health.

Team

The project team includes practitioners from three local authorities, public collaborators from youth organisations, and academics with experience in policymaking, tobacco and vaping research and the inclusion of young people's voices.