AUTHOR=Chaaya Monique , Farran Dina , Saab Dahlia , Al-Hindi Mahmoud , Romani Maya , Khairallah Mary , Nakkash Rima 

TITLE=Influence of a University Tobacco-Free Policy on the Attitudes, Perceptions of Compliance, and Policy Benefit Among the University Students: A Pre-Post Investigation

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=66

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2021.614602

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2021.614602

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> To evaluate the effectiveness of a university tobacco-free policy by examining differences in students’ attitudes, perceptions of compliance and policy benefits, after one year of the policy’s implementation.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Cross-sectional studies were undertaken to collect data pre- and 1 year post-policy implementation. The two samples were selected using stratified random sampling.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> The prevalence of smoking decreased from 26% pre-policy implementation to 21% 1 year after (<italic>p</italic> = 0.035). The proportion of smokers who thought the policy had contributed to a reduction in smoking frequency increased from 10% to 70% (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). Smokers’ support for the policy rose from 42 to 58% (<italic>p</italic> = 0.007).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Against the background of a strongly pro-tobacco environment in Lebanon, it is possible to create a positive change in the mindset of smokers at the levels of the education and smoking cessation and more efforts should be expended to bring it about.</p>