In the decade or so since Scotland’s indoor public spaces became smoke-free, it’s clear that smoking has become side-lined in much of mainstream culture. Although we can see that significant progress has been made, much remains to be done if Scotland’s next generation is to make healthy and informed choices on smoking.

Understandably, the plethora of tobacco policies that support the translation and implementation of smoke-free legislation on a day-today basis have tended to focus on compliance and enforcement. These policies essentially highlight/clarify what people can and cannot do, where they can and cannot do it and the associated consequences.

A subtle shift in school-based tobacco policies to support both policy compliance and health promotion would help schools and staff to formalise their position as positive role models, minimise the mimicking of smoking behaviour and cement an ethos that encourages young people to make healthy behaviour choices.
ASH Scotland and NHS Lothian have recently supported 12 secondary schools to introduce tobacco-free policies. These schools have developed and implemented tobacco-free policies that go further, by formally supporting health promotion, health protection, healthy role modelling behaviour and healthy behaviour choices.

How to use this exemplar

The project supported 12 secondary schools to:

• Review tobacco education provision (including teaching materials) and identify areas for development across the curriculum and across all year groups.
• Facilitate a review of each school’s smoking/tobacco policy.
• Develop and implement school specific ‘Tobacco-free School’ policies.
• Share learning so that tobacco prevention could be reviewed and developed in schools across NHS Lothian, and in other health board areas.

The pilot project delivered a substantial range of experiences, common themes, and key learning points. These are available to view and download from the ASH Scotland website and some of the resources and case studies are provided below.

Explore this exemplar

What was done?

Participating schools reviewed the delivery of tobacco education, and how their school smoking policy is implemented. Each school used a comprehensive checklist as an audit tool and received support from a tobacco control expert in order to undertake a consultation process to produce a tobacco prevention development plan. All schools involved pupils and staff, some involved parents and partner (community) agencies. The project lasted two years and was evaluated by a public health researcher.

Why?

Two thirds of smokers start before they are 18. Most say they regret having done so. 13,000 young Scots take up smoking each year. There are many different factors which lead young people to smoke, but the extent to which tobacco is prominent, normal or accepted around them plays a crucial part. Creating a Tobacco-free School is therefore an important piece in the jigsaw of support which enables young people to make positive choices on tobacco.

What was the impact?

All 12 schools completed the pilot project. Results from the audit tool, along with interviews with lead teachers, demonstrate that all schools have made significant improvements to their smoking policy. The consultation process has increased understanding about young people's smoking behaviour, clarified areas for improvement and reinvigorated commitment to implement the policy consistently. Pupil's involvement in the process, for example in helping develop the policy and designing smoke-free signage, is seen as a positive aspect of the project.