Student tobacco use, secondhand smoke exposure, and policy beliefs before and after implementation of a tobacco-free campus policy: Analysis of five U.S. college and university campuses

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107238
• Publication Date: 2022-08-31T14:35:30Z
• Authors: Amy L. Nyman; Saiza Jivani; Amelia Jazwa; Erica Heath; Pamela B. Redmon; Bidisha Sinha; Matthew J. Hayat; Michael P. Eriksen
• Keywords: Tobacco product; Secondhand Smoke

The adoption of comprehensive tobacco policies by colleges and universities may help reduce student use. To this end, American Cancer Society's Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Initiative (TFGCI) awarded grants to 106 higher learning institutions adopt 100% tobacco-free campus policies. This study measured changes in use, reported exposure secondhand smoke, support for types among five TFGCI grantee who implemented Students at U.S. completed two independent cross-sectional online surveys regarding policy attitudes, once before (n = 2499) after 1667) their campuses adopted a policy. were less likely report current cigarette smoking (aOR: 0.73, 95% C.I.: 0.63, 0.85) smoke on 0.42, 0.23, 0.76) following the change. In contrast, students more past 30-day use electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) 2.16, 1.77, 2.63) change, despite policy's inclusion all products. Tobacco-free can be associated with decreases product environmental exposure. extent effectiveness vary tailored messaging, cessation support, enforcement approaches. discourage these products students, should policies, monitor trends, offer messaging customized specific groups products, utilize strategy.