, "14":"Create a campaign In this feature alcohol and tobacco TSI initiative youth outreach Saving themselves TSIs campaign to get young people involved in the battle against underage smoking and drinking is off to a great start, says Irja Howie O n 4 February, TSI launched its new Create a Campaign initiative, sponsored by Waitrose, in the grand setting of the Terrace Pavilion at the House of Commons. The 10 years of a childs life saved! event was a great success, attended by some 90 delegates, including 13 MPs, the under-secretary of state for health Jane Ellison, stakeholders such as Drinkaware and Mentor UK, and groups of schoolchildren. Create a Campaign invites teams of young people aged 12-15 to get creative and come up with a campaign to combat illegal underage sales and help prevent the use of tobacco and alcohol products by children. It was launched in the run-up to the General Election with the aim of raising political awareness about the breadth and impact of trading standards work. Event sponsor Stephen Lloyd MP greeted the audience by highlighting just how valuable he thought trading standards was: Trading standards does an enormous amount of good. It is important that all politicians understand, appreciate and recognise the important work of trading standards as we head into the General Election. With trading standards you get so much for what you spend. The number of young people still able to buy cigarettes and alcohol is a catastrophe its a battle that we have made progress on, but havent won. TSIs chief executive Leon Livermore explained that the role of trading standards in protecting public health was evermore important in the continuing difficult economic climate. He said: The response to austerity is often to direct resources to points of crisis, but this is an expensive way to deal with issues. It is important to understand the value of intervention the work that trading standards does to tackle issues like the underage sale of tobacco and alcohol, for example and what it brings to individuals, communities and the public purse. Trading standards is committed to supporting business to combat the frontline access children have to age-restricted products at checkouts. UnDer aGe s MoKinG In 2013, three per cent of children aged 11-15 were smoking at least one cigarette a week. Fortunately, this number has declined from nine per cent a decade earlier, as a result of tougher tobacco control policies. Around 40 per cent of regular smokers in the UK picked up the habit before they were 16, according to Cancer Research UK. Stephen Lloyd MP, Toby Jeffery MYP, Kelly Brand and TSI chief executive Leon Livermore UnDer aGe DrinKinG According to a 2013 survey by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, nine per cent of children had drunk alcohol in the last week, compared with 25 per cent in 2003. More than half believed it was OK to try alcohol, compared with 31 per cent who believed it was OK to smoke. Tap to listen Sir Bob Russell Livermores words were echoed by Rosanna OConnor, director of MP explains the alcohol, drugs and tobacco within the health and wellbeing directorate importance of trading of Public Health England. She said trading standards services had a standards in preventing pivotal role in the local public health system. smoking and alcoholShe said: Trading standards staff in local authorities have huge value related health to us. They are often seen as the backroom people of service provision, problems that harm but they are significant partners in the public health work we are children and strain promoting in local authorities. health care services. A tobacco-free generation by 2025 that surely must be within our sights, if we can all galvanise our efforts. The focus then shifted to the impact drink can have on young people with Kelly Brands hard-hitting testimony of her personal battles with alcohol. As she stood confidently on the stage, she told the audience that things used to be very different for her: I used to drink for confidence and couldnt go to social events without being drunk. I left school at 15 and got into trouble with the law Id black out, not knowing what I was doing. I was sent to psychiatric wards, diagnosed with mental health issues, personality disorders and social phobia. In my early 20s I was nearly sent to prison, but instead I was put on probation and sent to the Dawn Project at the Cambridge Womens Resources Centre. That was the turning point for me. I stopped drinking four years ago. But it is important to understand that nobody can do it for you, and you cant do it for anyone else you have to want to stop drinking for yourself. Brand was followed by another inspirational young person, 15-yearold Toby Jeffery MYP (Member of Youth Parliament), who has already been working hard with trading standards in his local area to combat underage smoking. He said: We cant be complacent, although figures of young people smoking are going down. On the walk to school I still see 13- to 15-yearolds smoking like it is second nature. The powerful message we need to get across to young people is that if you start smoking, you are likely to die from it. Another important message is that, should you convince a shop worker to sell you cigarettes or alcohol, they risk a 2,500 fine. He described trading standards as a vital barrier between young people and age-restricted products, and urged decision-makers to engage with young people by getting involved in social media. He said: I hear a lot about this rubbish that young people are not interested and engaged with politics. My message to MPs is to get a Twitter account, get a hashtag. Its a second home for young people today. That is where you can engage with them. The final speaker was the under-secretary of state for public health Jane Ellison, who recognised the role of trading standards in the battle against underage smoking and drinking. She said: Two-thirds of smokers start before the age of 18 and we are committed to bend that curve down. The statistics are going in the right direction, but we still have a challenge. We have devolved an awful lot of public health leadership to local authorities and I know that trading standards officers play a big part in that effective, joined-up local action. The key thing is stopping people smoking in the first place. The minister congratulated TSI on the Create a Campaign initiative, calling it a creative way to reach out to young people: Building resilience, empowering young people to make great decisions in their own interest and for their own health it seems to me that this is what TSIs exciting competition is all about. Ithink it is brilliant to look to young people themselves for inspiration and leadership, and I look forward to seeing what comes out of Create a Campaign. Another 10 years of a childs life saved! event Under-secretary of state for health Tap to washeld at Holyrood in Scotland as this issue went Jane Ellison discusses the Create a listen topress. Campaign competition. Credits Published You might also like Irja Howie is senior communications Tuesday 24 February, 2015 Consultations December 2014 executive atTSI. To share this page, click on in the toolbar "