Do students' perceptions of school smoking policies influence where students smoke?: Canada's Youth Smoking Survey.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to explore students' perceptions of school policy characteristics that influence the location of smoking while at school.


METHODS
Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of Canadian youth in grades 7-12 as part of the 2006-2007 Youth Smoking Survey. We used multilevel logistic regression to examine how students' perceptions of school policies predicted smoking behavior on and off school grounds in 11,881 students who had ever smoked. Separate analyses were conducted for grades 7-9 and 10-12.


RESULTS
In both grades 7-9 and 10-12, perceiving clear rules about smoking decreased the likelihood that a student would smoke on school grounds, while perceiving that a high percentage of peers smoke, that there are school rules about smoking, that students obey the rules, and that students can be fined for smoking increased the likelihood that a student would smoke off school grounds.


CONCLUSIONS
Clearly perceived rules about smoking encourage students not to smoke on school grounds; however, perceptions of rules, along with strong enforcement, may displace behavior off of school grounds. Non-smoking policies should be part of a comprehensive approach, that supports cessation.
Watts
Allison W
AW
School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
Lovato
Chris Y
CY
Card
Antony
A
Manske
Steve R
SR
D000293:Adolescent; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D012574:Schools / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012931:Social Environment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D055815:Young Adult
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution