December 12, 2011   Researchers compared two colleges in Indiana with similar demographics—Indiana University, which adopted a smoking ban, and Purdue University, which did not—and found that having a smoke-free policy in place decreased the amount of cigarette smokers on campus. Two years after the smoking ban was implemented, smoking decreased at Indiana University and increased slightly at Purdue University. Supporters of the ban attribute the decrease in cigarette use to the ban, although lead study author Dong-Chul Seo said he believes there are more factors involved. He says simply having a ban is not enough; reinforcing it to the public is also a critical part. “The positive changes may be attributable to increased awareness of the policy due to signage, media coverage and a campus bus completely wrapped with anti-tobacco messaging,” Seo told Indiana University. More than 500 campuses have enacted 100 percent smoke-free policies, according to the Americans for Nonsmokers Rights Foundation.

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