Mulitfaceted Strategy to Promote Smoking Abstinance in College Students

Audience: Persons working with young adults on a residential college campus where a smoke free campus policy has been enacted.

Key Points: College years are crucial to the establishment of smoking behaviors (Wechsler et al 2001); 27% of college students reported smoking in the last 30 days (SAMHSA).  A mulitifaceted strategy was developed to target incoming freshman students and determine smoking attitude pre and post educational model to promote smoking abstinence.  Strategies included information at orientation, anti-tobacco marketing sessions in residence halls, peer directed anti-marketing promotion on campus, social norming advertisements in campus media and peer mentoring for cessation and promotion of a cessation quitline and quit kits.  Non-smoker’s attitudes were greatly impacted by the residential hall anti-industry marketing promotions, but there was little impact on the smoker’s opinion.  Smokers did not advance in the transtheoretical model.  The non-smoker’s attitude about smoking was strengthened by the multifaceted strategy, particularly the residential hall interventions.   

Educational Experience: Audience will be able to apply the recommendations and identify new strategies in ineffective area. The audience will be able to develop educational strategies for young adults on a college campus to remain smoke free.  Use of the poster, handouts and discussion with presenter(s) will assist the audience member in applying the model.

Benefits: Professionals will be able to identify strategies to promote smoking abstinence among college students through stratigies such as residential hall peer education and anti – industry messaging. It  also helps identify areas for further study to promote cessation and use of the transtheoretical model.