Thousands of secondary school pupils across Walsall are set to learn about the risks of smoking, vaping and nicotine addiction through a powerful theatre production returning to classrooms this winter.
Following a successful run last year, Hooked, an interactive educational show created by Performance in Education, will visit up to 25 secondary schools across the borough during November and December.
Commissioned by Walsall Council’s Public Health team, the production aims to get young people talking openly about smoking, vaping and the pressures they may face from friends, social media and their wider surroundings.
Designed for pupils in Years 7 to 9, the performance combines drama with practical advice, helping teenagers understand the health risks associated with nicotine, recognise potentially dangerous situations and develop the confidence to resist peer pressure.
The production also encourages pupils to take what they have learnt home, opening up conversations with parents and other family members.
Thousands of Walsall pupils benefited last year
The return of Hooked follows an overwhelmingly positive response from local schools during its previous tour.
An impressive 3,393 pupils watched the production and participated in follow-up educational activities, with 99% saying they enjoyed the experience.
Feedback suggested that the show helped pupils develop a better understanding of the potential harms associated with smoking and vaping, particularly challenging the misconception that vaping is completely risk-free.
Almost a quarter of pupils (24%) said the experience had encouraged them to stop smoking or help a friend to quit.
Teachers were equally enthusiastic. Every teacher who completed the evaluation agreed that the performance was beneficial, appropriate for the age group and useful in supporting conversations about nicotine use and peer pressure. All said they would recommend it to other schools.
How common is vaping among young people in Walsall?
Research gathered as part of the theatre programme also provided an insight into smoking and vaping habits among local pupils.
While most young people surveyed had never tried either, the findings suggested vaping was considerably more common than traditional cigarette smoking.
Some of the key findings included:
- 85.9% of pupils said they had never vaped, meaning approximately one in seven had tried it at least once.
- 2.4% reported vaping daily, with regular use becoming more common among older pupils.
- Around 30% said a parent or carer vaped.
- The most common age for first experimenting with vaping was between 11 and 13.
- Friends and family members were identified as common sources of vapes, rather than young people purchasing them directly.
Encouragingly, the findings also revealed that many pupils who experimented with vaping had not gone on to become regular users, while some had already stopped.
However, the research highlighted the influence that friendships, family habits and social environments can have on young people’s decisions.
With smoking prevalence in Walsall standing at 15.3%, the council believes preventative education remains an important part of improving health across the borough.
Helping young people make informed choices
Councillor Matt Eason, Walsall Council’s Portfolio Holder for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, welcomed the return of the production.
“Young people are faced with a growing number of influences and pressures, both online and in everyday life. It is important that they have access to accurate information that helps them make informed choices about their health and wellbeing. Hooked uses an engaging and relatable approach to raise awareness of the risks associated with smoking and vaping, while encouraging young people to think critically about nicotine addiction and peer pressure. We are pleased to support its return to schools across Walsall following such positive feedback from pupils and teachers last year.”
The council hopes that by reaching children early in their secondary school years, the programme can help prevent experimentation from developing into regular nicotine use.
Although regulated vaping products can be an effective tool for adults trying to stop smoking, health professionals emphasise that they are not intended for children, teenagers or people who have never smoked.
The advice for young people remains clear: if you don’t smoke, don’t vape.
New tobacco laws aim to protect future generations
The school’s theatre tour also comes as the UK prepares for major changes to tobacco legislation.
From 1 January 2027, new smokefree generation measures are set to make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.
The legislation is intended to prevent future generations from taking up smoking, while additional measures within the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 seek to make vaping products less appealing to children and teenagers.
Initiatives such as Hooked form part of wider efforts to raise awareness, challenge misconceptions and support healthier choices before nicotine use becomes a regular habit.
Where Walsall residents can get help to quit
Alongside educating young people, free support is available across Walsall for adults and families who want to give up smoking or vaping.
Be Well Walsall offers face-to-face, telephone and online appointments, alongside nicotine replacement therapy and regulated vaping products where appropriate. Support for quitting vaping is also available.
Visit Be Well Walsall or call 01922 444044.
Quit with Bella provides online advice, support from trained advisers and stop smoking products delivered by post.
Visit Quit with Bella, call 0800 772 3872 or email walsall.stopsmoking@nhs.net.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust also provides specialist help through its Stop Smoking in Pregnancy Service for expectant mothers and their partners. The team can be contacted on 01922 270477.
Hospital patients can access the Trust’s Tobacco Dependency Service by emailing wht.tdt@nhs.net, while specialist support for mental health inpatients is provided through Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
As Hooked prepares to take to the stage once again, the message for Walsall’s young people is about more than simply saying no to smoking or vaping. It’s about understanding the risks, recognising outside influences and having the confidence to make choices that protect their health, both now and in the future.