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Why Does LTPB Exist?
Despite recent advances, tobacco use continues to be the number one preventable public health problem we face. The personal and economic costs of tobacco use are nothing less than catastrophic. Worldwide, smoking will cause 450 million premature deaths in the next 50 years.1 At least 170 million of these deaths could be avoided if current smoking rates were cut in half. In Ontario alone, tobacco kills 13,000 people annually, leads to 1 million hospital days annually, and costs $1.1 billion annually in health care expenditures.2
There have been modest reductions in smoking participation among adolescents and adults; however, the prevalence of tobacco use remains highest among young adults, ages 18 – 24 years. Approximately 25% of young adults smoke cigarettes,3 with 10% of young adult smokers reporting that they began smoking after the age of 18.4 In 2005, 28% of Ontario university students were current smokers and 11% of these smokers began smoking after arriving on campus.5 Other studies of smoking on post-secondary campuses, show that up to one third of students smoke cigarettes at least occasionally.5-10
These disturbingly high smoking rates among post-secondary studentshighlight the need for appealing, effective strategies to reduce tobacco use on campus.11 There are many reasons for addressing post-secondary students' smoking participation. First, in Ontario, more than half the population of young adults attends post-secondary schools.12 This represents a sizable and relatively homogeneous population with which to intervene around tobacco use. Second, because their time in post-secondary institutions represents a transitional stage in their lives, chances of changing young adults' smoking behaviours may be enhanced.13-15 Third, considering that the policies, advertising and social influences of most campus environments promote rather than deter smoking,11,16-18 counter messages and actions are needed. Fourth, the insular nature of campus life and the mobility of this population require that unique, student-focused programming using campus-specific channels of communication be implemented.19-21 And finally, most students who smoke want to quit, but few have the resources to successfully do so.7-9
Unfortunately, the availability and effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions, smoking policies and industry denormalization activity on post-secondary campuses have not always kept pace with the emerging need for them.16-18 LTPB was developed as a response to this need. It is designed to reach all students on campus – whether they smoke a little, a lot, or not at all. By using a multi-component strategy, LTPB aims to create an atmosphere which promotes healthy choices around smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke.
References
1 Peto, R., Lopez,A.D., Boreham, J., Thun, M., & Heath, C.J. (1994). Mortality from smoking in developed countries, 1950-2000: Indirect estimates from National Vital Statistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2 Expert Panel on the Renewal of the Ontario Tobacco Strategy. (February 1999). Actions will speak louder than words: Getting serious about tobacco control in Ontario. A report to the Minister of Health.
3 Health Canada (2002). Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey, 2001. Ottawa: Health Canada.
4 Hammond, D. (2005). Smoking behaviour among young adults: beyond youth prevention. Tobacco Control, 14, 181-185.
5 Cairney, J., & Lawrance, K.G. (2002). Smoking on campus. An examination of smoking behaviours among post-secondary students in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 93, 313-316.
6 Adlaf, E.M., Gliksman, L., Demers, A., & Newton-Taylor, B. (2003). Cigarette use among Canadian undergraduates. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 94, 22-24.
7 Paavola, M., Vartiainen, E., & Puska, P. (2001). Smoking cessation between teenage years and adulthood. Health Education Research, 16, 49-57.
8 Rigotti, N.A., Lee, J.E., Wechsler, H. (2000). US College Students' Use of Tobacco Products: Results of a National Survey. JAMA, 284(6), 699-705.
9 DeBernardo, R.L., Aldinger, C.E., Dawood O.R., Hanson, R.E., Lee, S.J., & Rinaldi, S.R. (1999). An e-mail assessment of undergraduates' attitudes towards smoking. Journal of American College Health, 48, (2) 61-70.
10 Patterson, F., Lerman, C., Kaufmann, V., Neuner, G., Audrain-McGovern, J. (2004). Cigarette Smoking Practices among American College Students: Review and Future Directions. Journal of American College Health, 52(5), 203-210.
11 Hammond, D., Tremblay, I., Chaiton, M., Lessard, E., Callard, C. (2005). Tobacco on campus: industry marketing and tobacco control policy among post-secondary institutions in Canada. Tobacco Control, 14, 136-140.
12 Education in Canada: School Attendance and Levels of Schooling: Highlight Tables, 2001 Census
13 Arnett, J.J. (2000). Emerging Adulthood: A Theory of Development From the Late Teens Through the Twenties. American Psychologist, 55, 469-480.
14 Wetter D.W., Kenford S.L., Welsch S.K., Smith S.S., Fouladi R.T., Fiore M.C., & Baker T.B. (2004). Prevalence and Predictors of Transitions in Smoking Behavior among College Students. Health Psychology, 23(2), 168-177.
15 Lenz, B.K. (2004). Tobacco, Depression, and Lifestyle Choices in the Pivotal Early College Years. Journal of American College Health, 52(5), 213-220.
16 Kear, M. (2002). Psychosocial Determinants of Cigarette Smoking Among College Students. Journal Of Community Health Nursing, 19(4), 245–257.
17 Ling P, Glantz S. (2002). Why and how the tobacco industry sells cigarettes to young adults: Evidence from industry documents. American Journal of Public Health, 92: 908-916.
18 McKee, S.A., Hinson, R., Rounsaville, D., Petrelli, P. (2004). Survey of subjective effects of smoking while drinking among collegestudents. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 6(1), 111-116.
19 Christie-Smith, D. (Mar., 1999). Smoking cessation programs need to target college students. American Journal of Health System Pharmacology, 56(5), 416.
20 Mooney, D.K. (2001). Facilitating Student Use of Campus Smoking Cessation Services. Journal of American College Health, 50(3).
21 Swinford, P.L. (2002). Advancing The Health Of Students: A Rationale For College Health Programs. Journal of American College Health, 50(6).
22 Wechsler, H., Kelley, K., Seibring, M., Kuo, M., Rigotti, N. (2001). College Smoking Policies and Smoking Cessation Programs: Results of a Survey of College Health Center Directors. Journal of American College Health, 49, 205-212.