Youth Participation in a Community Campaign to Pass a Clean Indoor Air Ordinance

Because of the harmful effects of secondhand smoke, communities are organizing to pass clean indoor air policies. With youth being considered one of the most vulnerable populations to this health hazard, it can be strategic to campaigns and beneficial to the youth's development to involve them in efforts to control this toxin. However, youth participation in health campaigns is limited because of barriers inherent in these initiatives. This article presents lessons learned from a qualitative case study on the youth involvement in a successful local clean indoor air campaign. Through the analysis of semistructured interviews with the adult members of the campaign, group interviews and questionnaire completion by the youth members of the campaign, and additional insight made possible by participant observation, recommendations are provided to engage and sustain youth involvement in local public health initiatives.