Background: Quit Victoria has adopted a multi-faceted approach to reduce smoking among young people. Through collaboration with state government and community agencies, Quit has disseminated the cessation message to young people through a diverse range of strategies in various settings. Quit also works collaboratively with other Australian states and territories in coordinating several projects. This paper will provide an overview of four strategies that focus on moving young smokers toward the quitting process.

Strategy: Young people do access Quitline. Of counselling calls received through the Victorian Quitline, 10% are from adolescents. The unique Quitline guidelines for young callers were designed to improve the delivery of advice to these callers.

The guidelines were complemented by the production of two research-based postcard sets focusing on the uptake and quitting processes. One-day training for school nurses on smoking cessation and adolescents incorporated the use of the tailored Quitline service and postcard sets. Evaluation indicates that participants found the training relevant and useful.

Quit used the introduction of new smokefree legislation at underage events as an opportunity to create a wallet card. The card informs young dependent smokers of ways to cope without smoking whilst attending no-smoking events and also encourages them to call Quitline for advice about quitting.

Conclusion: Young smokers are different to adult smokers. They are in transition from childhood into adulthood. A multi-faceted and varied cessation approach needs to be adopted to engage these young people.