The students, from the School of Nursing & Midwifery at Queen’s, have worked together to develop this digital tool, ‘Inhale the Truth,’ and recently met with Health Minister for Northern Ireland, Mike Nesbitt at Stormont Buildings to discuss its importance.

Co-designed by the student team with the support of Queen’s academics and a Health Development Specialist, this game aims to engage with the public in Northern Ireland with the intention of promoting smoking and vaping risk awareness and cessation.

The students were supported by Laura Creighton, a Lecturer at the University, she said: “Today is extremely significant for the students involved in the development of this serious game, as they have dedicated their time to raising awareness about such an important cause.

“It has been fantastic to support these incredible students, and we really hope that this digital technology will have the desired impact of educating people about the health risks associated with smoking and vaping and encourage them to stop.”

Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable non-communicable diseases globally and is linked to thousands of deaths in Northern Ireland each year.

Although smoking statistics are beginning to fall, 13% of the population in Northern Ireland continue to smoke. In addition, the rapid increase of vaping is proving popular, especially amongst adolescents who have never smoked previously. 

Welcoming the digital game Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “It is reassuring to see our future nurses and midwives taking proactive steps to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking and developing this innovative way to encourage users to quit. Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death, disability, and ill health in the UK and kills over 2,000 people in Northern Ireland every year. The new digital tool will help educate and inform the public about the risks and help saves lives.”

Developed by Focus Games Ltd, this is a short digital serious game, which is a video game designed primarily for educational purposes, aiming to teach specific skills, knowledge, or attitudes rather than solely for entertainment.

Graham Gibson, a student nurse from the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s worked alongside Michelle Gillen, Lara Cowan, Dana Stott, Catriona Burns, Jessica Adams and Lee-Ann McCall to develop the game, he added: "Working on Inhale the Truth has been an incredible and deeply personal journey for me. As a nursing student, I have seen first-hand the devastating impact of smoking on people's health.

“Education is key to preventing harm, and this project allows us to reach people in a new, engaging way by providing the facts, challenging misconceptions, and empowering individuals to make healthier choices. I am extremely proud of the game we have created as a team and the important conversations it will inspire moving forward."

Colette Rogers, Strategic Lead for Tobacco Control with the PHA, commented: “This is a welcome initiative from Queen’s that we hope will help educate more people on the dangers of tobacco use and the unknown health effects of vaping.

“Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of ill-health, disability and death in Northern Ireland, responsible for approximately 35,000 hospital admissions and 2,200 deaths each year. However, lots of free support is available to help you quit.

“For anyone who wants to give up smoking, the PHA funds a range of free services to help people quit, with support available in communities, including through many pharmacies, GP practices, HSC Trust premises, and community and voluntary organisations.”

To download the game and to find out more information, please visit the website.

Media

For media enquiries, please contact Grace White at the Queen’s Communications Office: g.white@qub.ac.uk