Objective: This study examines the relationship between local tobacco control policymaking and the adoption of smoking policies at colleges within those localities. The report concentrates on the “Five Colleges” of Western Massachusetts (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst). Methods: Data were collected from interviews with local public health officials, college administrators, and campus health educators; college publications; state and local legislation; newspapers and journal articles; and documents downloaded from http://www.tobaccoarchive.com. Results: All of the Five Colleges (FC) have eliminated smoking in academic and administrative buildings, although reasons for doing so vary by institution. Student housing facilities have been excluded from every FC institutional smoking policy, so each institution has a separate residential smoking policy. Local policies and public health officials have had an impact on anti-tobacco education, advocacy, and policymaking on each of these campuses. Institutional surveys of FC students indicate that some smoking policies seem to correlate with a decrease in student tobacco use over time. All of the Five have collaborated with local public health officials on smoking issues, although the form and extent of these efforts vary by institution and locality. Conclusion: Recent studies have shown that smoking prevalence among college students is on the rise. In order to help to reverse this trend, institutions of higher education across the country should make all buildings, including student housing, smoke-free. Additionally, college administrators, campus health educators, and local public health officials should pursue collaborative efforts to reduce smoking both on college campuses and in surrounding communities. See www.umass.edu/sphhs/chs/tobacco/index.html
Learning Objectives: Session participants will be able to: 1) Recognize that collaboration between local public health officials and administrators at colleges within those localities can help to reduce tobacco prevalence among college students; 2) Examine the relationships between college student smoking behavior, campus smoking policies, and local tobacco control policymaking; and 3) Adapt for use in their home settings college and community smoking policies discussed in this session.
Keywords: Tobacco Policy, College Students
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The "Five Colleges" of Western Massachusetts (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst); and the towns of Amherst, Northampton, and South Hadley, Massachusetts.
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I was employed by the University of Massachusetts-Amherst under a grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute when this research was completed.