Date of Award

2005

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

Tobacco use among young adults in the United States (US) rose dramatically throughout the 1990's. College, in particular, may be a place of experimentation for young adults, which can provide an opportunity for the tobacco industry to infiltrate campuses with slick marketing campaigns. Therefore, the college setting may present a prime opportunity for interventions, which might prevent initiation of tobacco use, block the transition to regular smoking, or aid students in quitting. In 2001, a comprehensive, student-led movement was initiated at California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) to decrease smoking among students.

This study investigates how implementing a comprehensive, student-led anti-tobacco program at CSUS contributed to a decrease in past 30-day smoking among 18-24 year old students. The majority of CSUS administrators, faculty, staff and students surveyed for this study attributed the increase in tobacco control policies and decrease in smoking prevalence among students to the anti-tobacco program.

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