The Virginia Department of Health has evaluated colleges and universities in the state in an effort to reduce student and employee tobacco use, and five schools, including Eastern Mennonite University, received a failing grade.
Partnering with Eliminate Tobacco Use Virginia, a dashboard was launched grading schools throughout the state in an effort to encourage an increase in cessation efforts at colleges and universities.
The dashboard presents the current landscape of tobacco policies across 49 public and private college and university campuses in Virginia.
According to a college campus analysis performed by the American for Non-Smokers Rights Foundation, Virginia currently ranks second to last in the United States for tobacco-free higher education.
Report cards
The tobacco policy report cards for each college and university evaluate existing tobacco policies and identify key areas needing improvement based on standards established by the Americans for Non-Smokers Rights Foundation.
- Five schools received an F grade include Christendom College in Warren County, Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Hampden-Sydney University in Prince Edward County, Averett University in Danville and Bluefield College in Tazewell.
- The four schools receiving an A grade included Randolph-Macon College, Virginia Union University, Eastern Virginia Medical School and Regent University.
- James Madison University, Virginia Military Institute, Radford University and the University of Virginia were among 19 schools receiving a mediocre grade of a C.
- Virginia Tech, Bridgewater College, Shenandoah University and Mary Baldwin University received a D grade.
The assessments consider various factors, such as the types of tobacco products covered by the policies, whether the campus has designated smoking locations, availability of cessation resources and the effectiveness of school prevention efforts. The report cards highlight the strengths of current policies and the specific areas where enhancements are recommended.
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“The Virginia Higher Education Tobacco Policy Dashboard is a vital tool for fostering healthier campuses across the Commonwealth,” said Kyle Girone, VDH tobacco control program epidemiologist. “By providing a detailed overview of current tobacco policies and offering targeted recommendations for improvement, this initiative empowers institutions to take proactive steps in reducing tobacco use and supporting cessation efforts.”
Executive Order 41 authorizes state agency heads, including those of higher education institutions, to set appropriate guidelines for smoking on state-owned property. A clarifying document released in 2021 confirmed that public institutions of higher education can ban smoking in all spaces deemed appropriate by the institution.
Research shows that nearly nine out of ten adults who smoke cigarettes daily, first tried smoking by age 18 and 99 percent by age 26.
Since most college students fall within this age range, implementing policies that prevent tobacco use and support health could encourage a tobacco-free life, according to VDH. Tobacco-free campus policies have also been proven effective in reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.
The dashboard will be updated annually.
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Crystal Graham
