Building capacity to implement tobacco-free policies in college and university settings with underserved populations

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to facilitate the process of policy adoption and implementation across community colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to develop, adopt, and implement a 100% smoke- or tobacco-free policy. METHODS: In total, 135 community colleges and HBCUs took part in the program. This multiple-site case study analyzed each institution’s online self-reported surveys every 6 months to record progress on each of five core project elements. Data were analyzed in June 2017. RESULTS: Overall, 77 of 135 institutions adopted a smoke- or tobacco-free policy during the college initiative program that led to a broader public health impact of more than 717000 students and employees protected from the harms of smoking and secondhand smoke. A regression analysis also found that ongoing/completed policy activities and perceived importance of having a 100% smoke- or tobacco-free policy presented greater odds of an institution passing or adopting a policy. CONCLUSIONS: Population-level impact and total number of people reached by this initiative is notable, though moving smoking off campus can have unintended impacts. This suggests policy change should include cessation efforts, policy compliance and policies into the broader community when possible through community partnerships.