Since 1998, the California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN), a project funded by the California Department of Public Health - Tobacco Prevention Program, has been supporting colleges and universities in creating healthy campus environments by adopting and implementing smoke/tobacco-free policies. CYAN’s College Program is the longest-running program focused on smoke and tobacco-free college campuses in the nation. In 2002, a group of students formed COUGH (Campuses Organized and United for Good Health), a statewide movement committed to promoting, establishing, and sustaining safer and healthier colleges through smoke/tobacco-free policy advocacy, education, and treatment. Together, CYAN and COUGH have been working to advance the success of 100% smoke/tobacco-free policies at all institutions of higher learning in California.

Each spring, CYAN reviews and assesses current smoke and tobacco use policies at all public and private colleges and universities in the state. These findings are shared in the annual California College and University Smoke/Tobacco-Free Policy Report Card. The first statewide Report was released in June 2016 and highlighted data from all public colleges and universities. In 2022, CYAN released the first annual Report Card on smoke/tobacco-free policies at private colleges and universities that are members of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU). The 2023 Report Card includes combined data for all public and AICCU colleges and universities.

The purpose of the Report is to reveal tobacco use policy trends on campuses in California. It is important to note that this report focuses on policies aimed at preventing and reducing the use of commercialized tobacco and nicotine products, such as cigarettes, cigars, hookah, smokeless and oral tobacco, and electronic smoking devices. Commercial tobacco is different from traditional or sacred tobacco. Traditional tobacco is natural, not inhaled or addictive, and has no additives.1 Additionally, the aim of the Report Card is to educate and encourage college decision makers to adopt comprehensive smoke/tobacco-free policies that promote health and wellness for all members of their campus community.