Canadian Campus Smoking Policies: Investigating the Gap Between Intent and Outcome From a Student Perspective

Abstract

Background: Young adults remain the earliest legal target for the tobacco industry. Against this, the existence of smoking policies would appear to offer some protection to students on campus. However, little research has been conducted into the outcomes of such policies from a student perspective. Methods: The authors conducted 8 focus groups at 4 selected Canadian undergraduate campuses to investigate student perceptions and behaviors resulting from campus smoking policies. Results: Results indicated that student smoking behaviors are minimally impacted by campus smoking policies due to seriously compromised implementation and enforcement. Conclusions: These findings imply that the presence of campus smoking policies and claims of “smoke-free” campuses should not be misinterpreted as achievement and without renewed focus and adequate tobacco control infrastructure, it will remain possible for young adults to initiate and maintain tobacco smoking on campus.     

US Public Universities' Compliance With Recommended Tobacco-Control Policies

Abstract

To address the rise in tobacco use among college students, several national health organizations, including the American College Health Association, recommend that colleges enact smoking bans in and around all campus buildings, including student housing, and prohibit the sale, advertisement, and promotion of tobacco products on campus. Key informants at 50 US public universities, one from each state, were interviewed during the 2001/2002 academic year to assess the prevalence of these recommended policies. More than half (54%) of the colleges banned smoking in all campus buildings and student residences, 68% had no tobacco sales on campus, and 32% of the schools' newspapers did not accept tobacco advertising. Regional differences in adoption of these campus tobacco-control policies were present. Although this national sample of public universities had implemented some of the recommended policies, they must take further actions to comply fully with campus tobacco-control guidelines.     

Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Exposure-Response Relationships in Epidemiologic Studies

Demonstration of a dose-response relationship for environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is an important indication of causality. Central to the analysis and interpretation of dose-response relations as described in epidemiological studies is the relationship between dose and exposure. It must be recognized that in studies of ETS we have only surrogate measures of dose, and these surrogate measures (based on exposure) are imperfect. The question-based measures of ETS exposure generally have not been standardized, may have limited validity and reliability, and cannot comprehensively describe total ETS exposure, exposure to individual ETS components, nor doses of biologically relevant agents at target sites. Nevertheless, useful data have been yielded in epidemiologic studies linking ETS exposure to increased respiratory infection and symptoms, reduced lung growth in children, and increased lung cancer in nonsmoking adults. The more consistent exposure-response data for studies on acute health in children may reflect the greater difficulty in measuring exposure in studies of chronic health in adults.     

论全球化中烟草控制的国际政策协调

随着人们对生命和健康的关注,许多新的与烟草控制相关的国际法原则、规范和制度在国际关系和国际实践中被确立,影响到烟草行业的各个方面.一些新的与烟草控制相关的国际法分支不断涌现,呈现出十分活跃的发展态势.这些分支自成体系,当各分支具体规则发生交叉时,出现不协调和冲突的可能性增加.为此,与烟草控制相关的国际法规则的协调化需要尽快完成,但其中的难度极大,有许多曲折的道路要走.     

加入WTO与中国烟草企业的股份制改革

烟草业在中国的国民经济中具有重要的地位 ,其发展对中国经济的影响不言而喻。从总体上看 ,中国烟草业现阶段已形成相对庞大的产业规模和较为完整的产业体系 ,产品也有一定的市场竞争力。但业内人士认为 ,在繁荣的背后 ,中国烟草业在迎接国内市场国际化的竞争中显得十分脆弱 ,国际竞争力令人担忧。本文针对入世带来的新问题、新形势 ,从经济和法律的角度对烟草企业的股份制改革的必要性进行分析 ,结合国内外股份企业发展的实践论证烟草企业进行股份制改革的可行性 ,并建议以红塔为试点对国内烟草大企业的进行股份制改制 ,通过设立烟草股份公司发行股票上市 ,吸纳资金 ,壮大企业规模 ,以构造我国烟草业的航空母舰 ,抵御外来竞争的压力。     

Depression,anxiety, and tobacco use: Overlapping impediments to sleep in a national sample of college students

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To examine how tobacco use and depression/anxiety disorders are related to disturbed sleep in college students. Participants: 85,138 undergraduate respondents (66.3% female, 74.5% white, non-Hispanic, ages 18–25) from the Spring 2011 American College Health Association–National College Health Assessment II database. Methods: Multivariate analyses of tobacco use (none, intermediate, daily) and mental health (diagnosed and/or symptomatic depression or anxiety) were used to predict sleep disturbance. Results: Daily tobacco use was associated with more sleep problems than binge drinking, illegal drug use, obesity, gender, and working >20 hours/week. Students with depression or anxiety reported more sleep disturbances than individuals without either disorder, and tobacco use in this population was associated with the most sleep problems. Conclusions: Tobacco use and depression/anxiety disorders are both independently associated with more sleep problems in college students. Students with depression and/or anxiety are more likely to be daily tobacco users, which likely exacerbates their sleep problems.     

Cigarette Smoking Among Korean International College Students in the United States

Abstract

Objective and Participants: This study explored (1) the prevalence of cigarette smoking among South Korean international college students in the United States, (2) differences in smoking between on- and off-campus living arrangements, and (3) predictors of an increase in smoking over time in the United States Methods: An online survey was completed by 1,201 students at 52 4-year US universities (34% response rate). Results: The overall smoking prevalence was 43.5%. The smoking rate (29.0%) of female students was higher than that (4%) of female college students in South Korea. Sex, living place, living situation, length of stay as a student in the United States, home smoking rules, campus-wide tobacco-free policies, and levels of acculturative stress, anxiety, and depression were significantly associated with an increase in smoking (p < .05). Conclusions: Given the high smoking prevalence among the South Korean students on US college campuses, targeted prevention efforts for these students may be warranted.     

A Systematic Analysis of College Substance Use Policies

College substance use policies provide guidelines for student behavior and influence campus culture. Although they are the primary environmental strategy to address campus substance use, policies have not been systematically compared and studied. We constructed a systematic review method to examine the accessibility, comprehensiveness, enforcement procedures, and clarity of college substance use policies. We developed an objective evaluation scheme for each of these 4 dimensions and then applied it to documented substance use policies from a sample of colleges and universities (N = 24). Policies were found to vary considerably but tended to specify compliance with local laws and emphasize student health and well-being. The next stage of campus policy review should examine actual implementation, evaluate potential differentiating factors among institutions, and assess the influence of policy on campus climate and student outcomes.     

Developing a Personal Program for Continuing Education

Abstract

The increasing number of field expeditions studying or working abroad each year is currently unparalleled by medical research efforts or data from which health professionals can make meaningful recommendations about how to keep personnel in the field healthy. The medical planning, organizing, and data are presented from a geology expedition to Guatemala involving 25 persons. Only minor medical problems were encountered, and less than 1% of the total person days at risk were lost due to illness. Eight guidelines are presented as a tool to assist any health professional in the planning and preparing of a team for the field.     

烟草行业零售户满意度测评及其提升对策——基于安徽烟草商业企业的调查数据分析

运用比较成熟的顾客满意度测评理论,以安徽省烟草商业企业为例,分析烟草公司面临的形势、经营状况、特别是其销售网络的现状,阐述了安徽烟草公司进行卷烟零售户满意度测评的意义,提出测评实施方法,测评卷烟零售户对烟草公司的满意程度,以了解零售户对烟草公司满意状况和存在的不满意方面。在此基础上,提出了改善这些不足的对策建议,期望以此提高卷烟零售户对烟草公司的满意程度。