School Tobacco Policies in a Tobacco‐Growing State

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study examined factors associated with tobacco‐free policies and tobacco cessation in schools serving children in grades 6 to 12 in a tobacco‐growing state using a cross‐sectional telephone survey of school administrators from public and private middle and high schools (N = 691), representing 117 of the 120 Kentucky counties. Trained health department staff contacted 1028 schools; 691 (67%) participated in a phone survey, which lasted an average of 19 minutes. Variables of interest were indoor and outdoor smoking policies, fund‐raising in Bingo halls, provision of cessation and prevention programs, owning or leasing a tobacco base, if the school received money from tobacco companies, type of school (public vs private), and school setting (urban vs rural). Only 20% of Kentucky schools reported comprehensive tobacco‐free policies. Urban area schools were nearly twice as likely to have a tobacco‐free campus than rural schools. Schools that did fund‐raising in smoky Bingo halls were 30% less likely to have tobacco‐free school policies. While few schools had a tobacco affiliation, those that received money from tobacco companies or grew tobacco were nearly 3 times as likely to provide cessation resources, compared to schools without tobacco affiliation. Rural schools were less likely to be tobacco free and provide cessation services. School‐related, off‐campus, extracurricular events might be considered as an element of tobacco‐free school policy. Schools with tobacco affiliation may provide more cessation resources due to the increased prevalence of tobacco use in these areas.