Tahrema Chowdhury and fellow youth cabinet member James Davies met with councillors and officers of Wealden District Council and told them firsthand of the concerns about the level of smoking among young people.

Taking action to alert young people to the dangers of smoking is one of three priorities for the East Sussex Youth Cabinet.

Tahrema, a pupil at Hailsham Community College, said, "We don't want to preach to people to stop smoking; we realise it is down to personal choice.

"But we do want people to realise the significance of what they are doing."

The youth cabinet is producing a DVD which will feature young people's views on smoking. It is hoped to screen the DVD at schools and colleges in the district and on the internet.

Cllr Margaret Kirkpatrick, chair of Wealden's Youth Matters Group, said, "When many of Wealden's councillors were young, the dangers to health associated with smoking were not so widely publicised.

"However I think we begin to realise the scale of the problem today when, despite all we know about the health risks, young people are still taking up smoking."

The other two priorities for the youth cabinet are drugs and the lack of things to do and places to go for young people.

Cllr Pam Doodes, leader of Wealden District Council, and chief executive Charles Lant were also at the meeting to hear what Tahrema and James had to say.

Cllr Doodes said, "I believe organisations like the youth cabinet have an important part to play in informing the work of the other councils in the area, whether at district, county, parish or town level.

"Having thoughtful, articulate young people discuss the future provision of services is most welcome.

Two years ago, the Wealden Youth Matters group helped launch a website – www.w4y.co.uk – which is aimed at young people aged 10 to 19, providing online information and advice about health, safety, careers, social problems and lifestyle issues.

The group also works to improve the housing and sporting opportunities for young people, and through the Local Democracy Week roadshow, highlights the role of local authorities in secondary schools.

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