BACKGROUND-AIM:
Project Zero is the first youth-led movement in Spain aiming to achieve a tobacco- and nicotine-free generation by 2030 — meaning no person under 18 will have tried tobacco, nicotine, or related products such as vapes. Launched in 2023 following the ECTOH conference in Madrid, and promoted by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) in collaboration with ten national youth organizations, the initiative empowers young people aged 15–21 to drive evidence-based change in tobacco prevention. Its goal is to translate youth engagement into policy influence, cross-sector collaboration, and measurable social impact aligned with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

METHODS:
In 2024, an open national call attracted 991 applicants aged 15–21, from which 60 were selected and trained in innovation and entrepreneurship to develop their own proposals. In May 2024, participants met in person at a kick-off event to get to know each other and define the next steps of the movement, marking the beginning of months of intensive collaborative work. In November 2024, five pilot projects were selected at a national showcase attended by Spain's Minister of Health, each tackling tobacco prevention from a distinct angle: BeeZac (education): school-based intervention designed to build emotional skills and critical thinking in young students, with pre-post assessments showing significant improvements in empathy and emotional management. RespirARTE (arts and culture): creative initiative that uses art and culture as tools to denormalize tobacco and vaping among youth, generating high visibility and shifting the social narrative around smoking. BeHealth (leisure): research-driven project that maps vaping-associated behavioural patterns in leisure contexts to design targeted, evidence-based future interventions. Salud en Movimiento (sport): sport-based strategy that connects physical activity with tobacco-free values, achieving strong digital engagement and community reach ZeTa-ZePo — Zero Tabaco, Zero Pollution (environment): street-level awareness initiative that brings tobacco's environmental impact — cigarette butts, vape batteries, and chemical waste — directly to public spaces such as parks, beaches, and universities. Through eye-catching and engaging activations, ZeTa-ZePo reframes the conversation around tobacco as approachable and even fun, generating primary environmental data while challenging the idea that talking about tobacco has to feel confrontational. In parallel, around 30 youth ambassadors engaged in advocacy activities at regional, national and international levels.

RESULTS:
The five pilots demonstrated feasibility and multi-sectoral impact, with pre-post assessments showing measurable outcomes across all areas. The initiative mobilized nearly 1,000 young people and achieved wide outreach through digital channels. Beyond the pilots, the team has sustained advocacy efforts opening dialogue with regional administrations across Cáceres, Sevilla, Baleares, Barcelona, Madrid, and Asturias, and held meetings with Spain's Secretary of State for Health and the President of the European Parliament — all converging on the urgency of youth-led action in tobacco control.

CONCLUSIONS:
Project Zero demonstrates that structured youth engagement can generate measurable impact in tobacco control through the combination of evidence-based interventions, advocacy, and strategic communication. The initiative has contributed to increasing social awareness, strengthening cross-sector collaboration, and positioning young people as legitimate stakeholders in policy processes at regional, national, and European levels. Its integrated and participatory approach represents a scalable model to support the implementation of the WHO FCTC and advance towards a tobacco- and nicotine-free generation by 2030. School Project