About This Dashboard
The Virginia Department of Health Tobacco Control Program with the Eliminate Tobacco Use (ETU) Virginia Initiative works to prevent tobacco use among youth and young adults. Additionally, they work to promote quitting and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke. Nearly 9 out of 10 adults who smoke cigarettes daily first try smoking by age 18, and 99% first try smoking by age 26. Higher education institutions, which include colleges and universities, can reduce tobacco and nicotine use through comprehensive tobacco policies. These policies help ensure a brighter, healthier future for Virginians.
As of April 2024, ETU Virginia issued 49 tobacco policy report cards to Virginia higher education institutions. The tobacco policy report card has a letter grade created from a standardized review of each tobacco policy. The grades show how well each college or university is doing with their tobacco policies and can be used to compare themselves with other higher education institutions. Use the dashboard below to explore tobacco policies across Virginia's higher education campuses!
Grading Scale and Inclusion Criteria
Virginia four-year public colleges and universities were identified from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia website. Virginia private colleges and universities had to fit the following criteria to be included: accredited, non-profit, in-state. They could be exempt with the previous criteria met, however, religious exemptions were not included. Grading was based on the American NonSmokers' Rights Foundation "Colleges and Universities List Criteria."
Please note that some colleges and universities have more than one tobacco/smoking policy that were used to calculate their grade. This dashboard provides links only to the main policy used during the grading process.
100% Tobacco Free (Grade A) = 90 +
- All tobacco products
- Applies to students, faculty, and/or staff
- Applies to campus grounds and buildings
100% Smoke Free (Grade B) = 80 - 89
- Includes combustible tobacco products and e-cigarettes
- Applies to students, faculty, and/or staff
- Applies to campus grounds and building
No Smoking Indoors, with Outdoor Restrictions (Grade C) = 70 - 79
- Includes combustible tobacco products (and may include e-cigarettes)
- Applies to students, faculty, and/or staff
- Applies to campus grounds and buildings with restrictions, such as designated areas
No Smoking Indoors (Grades D) = 60 - 69
- Includes combustible tobacco products (and may include e-cigarettes)
- Applies to students, faculty, and/or staff
- Applies to campus buildings
No Smoking Indoors with Exceptions (Grade F) = 59 and below
- School has a policy, but lost points for exemptions, not including visitors, or limitations in compliance.
Incomplete (INC)
- No tobacco policy found