Upjohn Author ORCID Identifier
Series
Upjohn Institute working paper ; 26-442
DOI
10.17848/wp26-442
Issue Date
September 2026
Abstract
A number of U.S. states have enacted bans on tobacco use by students, staff, and visitors anywhere on the grounds of public elementary and secondary schools statewide. These laws are intended to reduce tobacco use, reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, reinforce anti-tobacco curricula taught in schools, and prevent children from viewing their teachers and fellow students using tobacco products. We examine the impact that the laws have on the smoking behavior of students, teachers, and other school staff by using stacked difference-in-differences estimators that exploit the time variation in adoption of the laws across states. The results presented in this paper suggest that statewide school smoking bans have little impact on smoking behavior.
Subject Areas
EDUCATION
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Citation
Bhatt, Rachana and Peter Hinrichs. 2026. "The Impact of Tobacco-Free School Laws on Student and Staff Smoking Behavior." Upjohn Institute Working Paper 26-442. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. https://doi.org/10.17848/wp26-442