The impact of school smoking policies and student perceptions of enforcement on school smoking prevalence and location of smoking
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to comprehensively assess the impact of school tobacco policy intention, implementation and students' perceptions of policy enforcement on smoking rates and location of tobacco use during the school day. Data were obtained from all students in Grades 10-11 (n = 22,318) in 81 randomly selected schools from five Canadian provinces. Policy intention was assessed by coding written school tobacco policies. School administrators most familiar with the tobacco policy completed a survey to assess policy implementation. Results revealed policy intention and implementation subscales did not significantly predict school smoking prevalence but resulted in moderate prediction of tobacco use on school property (R(2) = 0.21-0.27). Students' perceptions of policy enforcement significantly predicted school smoking prevalence (R(2) = 0.36) and location of tobacco use (R(2) = 0.23-0.63). The research findings emphasize: (i) the need to consider both written policy intention and actual policy implementation and (ii) the existence of a policy is not effective in controlling tobacco use unless the policy is implemented and is perceived to be strongly enforced.
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Cross-sectional observational studies evaluating the level of enforcement of school tobacco policies more consistently found links between stronger enforcement and lower rates of smoking among students.
“In contrast to studies assessing the presence of anti-tobacco policies, cross-sectional observational studies evaluating the level of enforcement of these policies more consistently found links between stronger enforcement and lower rates of smoking among students.”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [457]
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- Authors
- Lovato, C. Y., Sabiston, C. M., Hadd, V., Nykiforuk, C. I. J., & Campbell, H. S.
- Affiliations
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Venue
- Health Education Research
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2006-08-08
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 782-793
- ISSN
- 0268-1153 (ISSN-L)
- 1465-3648
- OpenAlex
- W2153602787
- Cited by
- 66
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 2.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Health Education Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Keywords
- school tobacco policies, tobacco use prevalence, policy implementation, policy enforcement, student perceptions, policy intentions, adolescent smoking, tobacco control
- MeSH terms
- Smoking Prevention, Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Adult, Canada, Cross-Sectional Studies, Humans, Social Control Policies, Surveys and Questionnaires, Regression Analysis, Schools, Smoking, Students, Program Evaluation, Prevalence, Organizational Policy, Program Development, Intention
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