TY  - JOUR
AU  - Harsamizadeh Tehrani, Setareh
AU  - Trieu, Sang Leng
AU  - Dao, Lien
AU  - Samuel, Carissa
AU  - Lui, Camillia K.
PY  - 2023
TI  - Engaging Students in Advancing Campus Tobacco-Free Policies: A Qualitative Study of California Community Colleges' Efforts
T2  - Preventing Chronic Disease
JO  - Prev Chronic Dis
SP  - E102
VL  - 20
CY  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
N2  - INTRODUCTION  Tobacco use remains a serious problem for young adults. Given the large number of young adults attending college, a tobacco-free campus is one strategy to reduce tobacco use. Young adult engagement is recognized as a common strategic practice in tobacco control policy efforts, especially in changing social norms around tobacco use. Community colleges can leverage and engage students in adoption of campus 100% tobacco-free policies. This qualitative study examines the importance of student engagement in advancing 100% tobacco-free policies in community colleges and identifies strategies for campuses to involve students in such efforts. METHODS  We selected 12 community colleges and conducted key informant interviews with campus and community-based organizations that were involved in campus policy adoption efforts. We conducted 33 semistructured interviews and transcribed, coded, and analyzed them by using a thematic analytic framework with inductive and deductive approaches to examine student engagement processes. RESULTS  Community colleges represented campuses with (n = 6) and without (n = 6) tobacco-free policy and varied by geography (urban vs rural) and student population size. Three main themes emerged: 1) no "wrong door" for students to engage in tobacco control work, 2) a myriad of ways for students to be involved in policy adoption, and 3) benefits of student engagement. CONCLUSION  We found that students are doers, allies, and champions in adoption of 100% campus tobacco-free policy. Colleges should leverage their campuses' most important assets - students - to be agents of change and to involve them in the full spectrum of interventions and advocacy.
SN  - 1545-1151
UR  - https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd20.230082
DO  - 10.5888/pcd20.230082
ER  -