The use of tobacco and nicotine products among young people poses a public health challenge, as nicotine use during adolescence increases risk of addiction and use in adulthood. The proportion of 15–29-year-old Danes using at least one nicotine product rose from 30% to 36% between 2020-2023. Although smoking is declining, it remains prevalent in vocational schools (VET) and preparatory basic education (PBE), where 26% of students still smoke.
Smoke- and nicotine-free school hours is mandated by law in Danish youth education institutions and prohibits tobacco and nicotine products during school hours, even outside school premises. Nevertheless, 71% of students who smoke in VET or PBE schools continue to smoke during school hours, and up to 87% use smoke-free nicotine products, indicating gaps in the law’s implementation.
Research suggests that tobacco policies require consistent enforcement, dialogue, and complementary measures. Poor implementation can undermine policy impact and increase smoking prevalence.
Purpose
The project's aim is to investigate and support the implementation of smoke- and nicotine-free school hours in PBE and VET schools to reduce students' smoking and use of nicotine products. Through four sub-studies, we will:
- Examine the current status of implementing smoke- and nicotine-free school hours.
- Identify key barriers and facilitators for implementation.
- Develop locally anchored or context-sensitive strategies to promote successful implementation.
- Evaluate the tailored implementation strategies.
Method
The project is grounded in implementation research as a scientific field. It includes data from multiple sources, including mapping of the implementation of smoke- and nicotine-free school hours among PBE and VET schools, and fieldwork and surveys at selected schools. The identified barriers and facilitators will be basis for workshops where schools, in collaboration with researchers, develop tailored implementation plans. These plans will subsequently be tested to evaluate effectiveness and sustainability.
The results will contribute to the development of practical solutions for implementing smoke- and nicotine-free school hours, which could have significant positive implications for youth health in educational institutions.
Project period
October 1, 2024 – June 30, 2028
Collaboration and funding
The research project is led and conducted by a research team at the National Institute of Public Health, consisting of Ph.D. student Calina Leonhardt, senior researcher Jeanette Wassar Kirk, postdoc Marie Pil Jensen, and senior researcher Susan Andersen. The team collaborates closely with Professor Charlotta Pisinger from the National Institute of Public Health and the Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, as well as Professor Per Nilsen from Linköping University.
The project also involves representatives from vocational education and training schools and PBE institutions, who will provide advice on the research focus and contribute input prior to workshops, the development of surveys, and the refinement of preliminary findings.
Additionally, the Danish Cancer Society offers project consultation, drawing on their extensive experience in tobacco and nicotine prevention within VET and PBE institutions.