title: Implementation of school policies to prevent youth tobacco use in Alabama.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Public health professionals must monitor the effectiveness of school policies and programs to prevent youth initiation, promote quitting, and eliminate secondhand smoke. This analysis of school tobacco policies was preliminary to release of a state tobacco prevention and control plan for 2010-2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  University health educators collaborated with the state health agency to review policies of 33 school systems in 5 Metropolitan Statistical Areas and 9 public health areas. Authors developed a systematic approach of 8 steps useful to rate implementation of school tobacco control and prevention policies and discuss implications for health education program planning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty school policies prohibited possession and use of tobacco by students, faculty and campus visitors, and 26 of 33 specified disciplinary measures following violations. Only 4 public education agencies included 3 of the 6 elements of a model tobacco prevention and control policy as suggested by the state public health agency. None featured all 6 elements. None specified establishing school-community partnerships for tobacco prevention and control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preparing smoke-free youth requires implementing and evaluating tobacco education in grades K-12 including use of model guidelines from federal agencies and professional organizations. Determining the focus of existing school tobacco policies is an initial step to encourage adoption of comprehensive policies to reduce youth use of tobacco. Youth health advocates may act together with school administrators and legislators to strengthen policies to be consistent with model guidelines for tobacco prevention and control.
authors.affiliation: School of Education & Center for Educational Accountability, University of Alabama at Birmingham College of Arts & Sciences, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-1250, USA. bgeiger@uab.edu
authors.forename: Brian F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: Isam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vaid
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beeson
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Riddle
mesh_terms: D000407:Alabama / Q000453:epidemiology; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D040241:Social Marketing; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control