Impact of Smoke-/Tobacco-free Policies on Student Tobacco-Use Rates at Postsecondary Institutions in Minnesota

Background:  Current tobacco use among Minnesota residents is lower than the national average, but current smoking rates remain high among 18-24 year-olds (21.8%). Because nearly half of all Minnesota residents pursue a degree in higher education, this study examined whether the implementation of tobacco-free campus policies reduced tobacco-use among college students.

Methods:  This study combined data on 33 postsecondary institutions in Minnesota from two sources: the annual College Student Health Survey (2007-2013) and a campus tobacco policy assessment conducted by Minnesota Statewide Health Improvement Program grantees. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted to examine differences in current and daily tobacco-use, on-campus tobacco use, and on-campus secondhand smoke exposure by campus tobacco-use policy (i.e., smoke-/tobacco-free or designated tobacco use areas). Chi-square tests and generalized estimating equations were used to test for policy effects.

Results: Results of the cross-sectional study showed that campuses with smoke-/tobacco-free policies had lower current tobacco-use rates compared to schools with designated tobacco-use areas. The number of months that a school’s tobacco-use policy had been in place was also negatively associated with student tobacco-use rates such that longer policy duration was associated with lower tobacco-use rates. Results of the longitudinal study showed an overall decrease in student tobacco-use and secondhand smoke exposure rates, and that this effect was strongest among schools that implemented a fully smoke-/tobacco-free campus policy during the study period.

Conclusions: The implementation of a fully smoke-/tobacco-free campus policy may be an effective method for reducing tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure among college students.