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Smoking, health and academic outcomes: evidence from a limited smoking campus policy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2018

Colin Cannonier ,
Monica G. Burke  and
Kathryn Steward
Colin Cannonier*
Affiliation:
Jack C. Massey College of Business, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, USA
Monica G. Burke
Affiliation:
Department of Counseling and Student Affairs, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, USA
Kathryn Steward
Affiliation:
Health Education and Promotion, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, USA
*
*Correspondence to: Colin Cannonier, Jack C. Massey College of Business, Belmont University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Although there is substantial literature on the impact of smoking laws, the number of studies that investigate the impact of such policies on college campuses is sparse. Using a rich data set from various waves of the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment survey for a mid-sized public university in the southern United States, we investigate a possible causal link between a limited smoking policy and smoking behaviours, health and academic outcomes among college students. We employ propensity score matching methods to control for endogeneity of unobservable characteristics. Our results show a significant reduction in the propensity to smoke cigarettes and cigars following the introduction of the policy. Further, we find that the policy has increased academic outcomes; however, it has no significant effect on student health. These findings have important policy implications for schools that are considering instituting comprehensive smoking bans on college.

Type
Articles
Information
Health Economics, Policy and Law , Volume 14 , Special Issue 2: SPECIAL ISSUE: Frontiers of Health Policy Research , April 2019 , pp. 205 - 230
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2018 

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Footnotes

†

Deceased 11 May 2017.

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