Partnership for A Healthy Mississippi
On Campus Coalition

 Our History

The goal of the program is to reduce and prevent tobacco use among Mississippi's college student population. The program includes educational and prevention activities, campus coalitions, and cessation. These elements have proven to be effective as a part of the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi's comprehensive youth tobacco prevention program, which also includes activities, community coalitions, marketing and law enforcement. As a result of the Partnership's approach people are not only educated about the dangerous health effects of tobacco use; but also, that the reality is tobacco is not the social norm, nor is it a socially acceptable behavior.

 The College Market

While both the adult and youth smoking prevalence rates are now below national averages, studies indicate that smoking among college students remains above 30 percent. The Partnership on Campus believes that a comprehensive approach to tobacco prevention on college campuses can directly impact the current climate to tobacco use by this at risk group. Peer influence, stress and tobacco company marketing are among the main reasons that students initiate or continue tobacco use in college. In order to impact change, we must impact the perception. Our program is designed to shift that perception and use peer pressure in a positive manner.

 Future Plans

During the Summer of 2003, The Partnership contracted with 12 universities to implement on campus coalitions. In Fall 2004 we added 16 community colleges in the state, so that the Partnership's On Campus coalition now includes 28 institutes of higher learning in Mississippi.