SCHOOL POLICY IN COMMIT - A PROMISING STRATEGY TO REDUCE SMOKING BY YOUTH

Organizational smoking policy has been identified as a potentially eff ective way to influence health behavior, particularly in worksites. Ex amining the elements of existing school smoking policies for both stud ents and employees can provide insight into the potential effectivenes s of these policies in changing young people's smoking behavior. This paper examines selected components of existing school smoking policies in a national sample of schools at all levels of education as part of the Community intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation. Schools were questioned about their school smoking policies, related resources, and compliance. The data show much variation in the elements of school to bacco use policy to change smoking behavior. Existing policies in scho ols differ among grade levels, thus providing different messages about the appropriateness of smoking. Policies differ for students and adul ts, providing another opportunity for confusion about the messages tha t policy can deliver. In general, resources available to support exist ing policies are lacking. Many schools offer classes on knowledge of n egative health effects of smoking but do not leach the psychosocial sk ills necessary to resist tobacco use. In its present forms, school pol icy has great potential for an effective tool for health promotion, bu t considerable reform is needed to overcome current barriers.