Smoke/tobacco free campus policies have contributed to reduced smoking on campus while promoting normative changes for select universities across the United States. In an effort to improve implementation of tobacco free campus policies, a recent study assessed the attitudes of college students, faculty, and staff toward said policies. Study participants included undergraduates, staff, and faculty from a primarily Hispanic-serving university (n=3,002) that completed an online survey where they self-reported tobacco use history, attitudes toward tobacco free campus policies, and awareness of the current tobacco use campus policy. Agreeing with previous research, the majority of study participants exerted positive attitudes towards tobacco free campus policies. However, less positive attitudes toward said policies did associate with male gender, non-hispanic white ethnicity, smoking behavior, and correct identification of the current campus policy.
Take Away: This study extended the literature supporting that college students generally exert positive attitudes toward tobacco free campus policies. Findings also support enhancing the implementation of these policies with education about the risks of tobacco use as well as the dangers of secondhand smoke.