Poor dietary habits, rising rates of overweight students, and lack of oversight of vending contracts prompted the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to develop and implement 2 of the most comprehensive nutrition policies in the country. The Healthy Beverage Resolution and Obesity Prevention Motion limit the types of and access to…

The belief that schools can play a powerful role in preventing tobacco use among adolescents has led to the implementation of various tobacco-related polices and practices. This study examines the association between school policies regarding monitoring student behavior, severity of action taken for infraction of policies, and tobacco use by…

This paper examines school policies relating to alcohol and illicit drug use, and their associations with the prevalence of alcohol and marijuana use among students. Both "punitive" and "supportive" policies are examined. Other studies examining punitive disciplinary measures--such as close monitoring of student behavior, having various security…