Effect of anti-smoking legislation on school staff smoking may dissipate over time

• Published in: European journal of public health Vol. 23; no. 5; pp. 791 - 793
• Main Authors: O'Loughlin, Erin K, Tremblay, Michèle, Dugas, Erika N, Barry, Amadou-Diogo, O'Loughlin, Jennifer L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford Publishing Limited (England) 01.10.2013
• Subjects: Adolescent; Analysis of Variance; Canada - epidemiology; Child; Faculty - statistics & numerical data; Female; Guideline Adherence - standards; Humans; Law; Law Enforcement; Legislation; Male; Perceptions; Public health; Questionnaires; School faculty; Schools; Schools - legislation & jurisprudence; Self Report; Smoking; Smoking - legislation & jurisprudence; Smoking cessation; Social Class; Students; Canada
• ISSN: 1101-1262; 1464-360X
• DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckt009

This study describes student perceptions of school staff smoking before and after implementation of legislation prohibiting smoking on school grounds. Students completed self-report questionnaires before (grade 6) and after (grade 7, 9 and 11) the law. The percentage of students reporting that school staff smoked in areas where smoking is forbidden was 19%, 32% and 33% in grade 7, 9 and 11, respectively. The mean(SD) score for the frequency with which students saw school staff smoking decreased after the ban but increased thereafter [2.5(1.1), 1.9(1.0), 2.4(1.1) and 2.3(1.1)] in grade 6, 7, 9 and 11, respectively [F(2.861,1662.229) = 45.350, P < 0.001]. These data suggest that the effect of the law dissipated over time.