By The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
LANSING, Mich. – More Michigan colleges and universities are prohibiting tobacco and e-cigarette use according to the 2025 Tobacco-Free Report Card released by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
In 2025, 45% of Michigan colleges and universities implemented a 100% tobacco-free or smoke-free campus policy, up from 37% in 2022. Institutions with policies that prohibit e-cigarettes increased from 70.6% to 87%.
“College and university campuses are key settings for reducing tobacco and nicotine use and supporting young adults who want to quit,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “We commend the institutions with 100% tobacco-free policies and encourage all campuses to adopt comprehensive protections. Many campus policies have been strengthened, but there are still opportunities to encourage tobacco-free environments.”
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death in Michigan. In 2023, 20.2% of Michigan 18- to 24-year-olds reported using e-cigarettes. This is more than twice the rate for Michigan adults who reported use of 8.5%.
The report card provides each academic institution’s grade based on its current policy and includes information on tobacco and e-cigarette use and recommendations for how to strengthen tobacco-free policies. MDHHS encourages colleges and universities to use the report card as a roadmap for creating healthier campus communities. It includes information about policies that help protect students, faculty and staff from harmful secondhand smoke and help shift social norms, prevent initiation and promote quitting.
The MDHHS Tobacco Section offers training and technical assistance to support the adoption, implementation and enforcement of tobacco-free and smoke-free campus policies. To request support, contact the MDHHS Tobacco Section at 517-335-8376 or visit Michigan.gov/Tobacco for prevention and cessation resources.
Grant opportunities are available for colleges and universities that have not yet adopted 100% tobacco-free policies or institutions with existing policies that could benefit from additional support with enforcement.
For Michigan residents seeking help with quitting tobacco or nicotine, the Michigan Tobacco Quitlink provides 24/7 support to adults by calling 800-QUIT-NOW. Youth seeking quit support can access My Life My Quit by texting “Start My Quit” to 36072. More information about these programs and other cessation resources can be found at Michigan.gov/Quitlink.
