Abstract
Objective
The Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Initiative (TFGCI) granted funding to U.S. post-secondary institutions to assist with creating 100% smoke- and tobacco-free campus policies to prevent young adult tobacco use. This study assessed grantee experiences working on campus tobacco policy change. Participants: Sixty U.S. post-secondary institutions completing TFGCI funded work between 2018 and 2020. Methods: An online survey assessment was completed by each institution at the end of their 18-month grant period to share facilitators and barriers to policy change, lessons learned, and advice for future efforts. Results: Many institutions faced challenges of time and capital constraints and pushback from campus constituents. Collaboration, diverse constituent engagement, and educational efforts throughout the advocacy process were important facilitators of policy change. Conclusions: Adopting and implementing comprehensive tobacco policy on college campuses is challenging. Regardless of institution type, commitment to the long-term goal and diverse stakeholder support guided movement toward 100% smoke- and tobacco-free campus policies.
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1953032 .
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to acknowledge Amy Nyman, MA, for her subject matter expertise and planning and editorial contributions.
Conflict of interest disclosure
The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the Unitied States of America and received approval from the Georgia State University Institutional Review Board.