Understanding college students' opinions on a smoking policy

Because of the negative aspects of smoking, the US National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse has recommended that university campuses should be smoke free. The purpose of this research was to learn students' opinions about the effectiveness of a smoking policy on campus. The policy simply stated there should be no smoking within 30 feet of a building. However, no areas were designated as smoking areas. Using phenomenological inquiry, the authors observed and interviewed both smoking and non-smoking students. Findings suggest that the existing smoking policy was weak and often ignored. Students felt the purpose of the smoking policy should be clearly stated because they were not sure if the policy was intended to make smokers quit or prevent them from smoking in front of doors. This study demonstrates the utility of careful observation as a prelude to the design and implementation of qualitative data collection methods. The results indicate observation is a valuable part of a qualitative research strategy.