THE ONTARIO BAN ON SMOKING ON SCHOOL PROPERTY - PERCEIVED IMPACT ON SMOKING

We evaluated the impact of the November 1994 ban on smoking on school property in Ontario. Telephone interviews were conducted at the end of the 1995-96 school year with 213 high school administrators. Almost a ll high schools (96%) prohibit smoking on school property. Although so me smoking still occurs on school property, the location of smoking by students has changed, giving rise to perceptions of both benefits and risks, as well as varying complaints from parents, students, neighbou rs, and nearby businesses. Most of the problems arising from the ban a re viewed as minor. Local conditions, particularly the geographic envi ronment of the school, appear to be important determinants of complain ts and problems. While sizeable minorities of school administrators fe lt the ban had favourable effects, the majority perceived little effec t on either smoking behaviour or attitudes towards smoking.