Policy

Research

Smokefree policies to reduce tobacco use: A systematic review
A systematic review published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests that workplace and community smokefree policies reduce tobacco use among workers. Studies that measured the effects of smokefree policies on tobacco use prevalence (n=21) found a median decrease of 3.4% after a smokefree policy was implemented; studies that measured differences in tobacco cessation among users under smokefree policies compared to those not affected by such policies (n=11) found a 6.4% increase in cessation. A review of four studies showed that there were also economic benefits to these policies, although more research must be done to evaluate the effects. Read the abstract of the study here.

State and local policy as a tool to complement and supplement the FDA law
An essay was published in the winter 2010 issue of the Hastings Science & Technology Law Journal on opportunities granted to state and local governments by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (the “FDA law”). This article discusses why adopting a state or local tobacco control law is beneficial, offering examples of local policy options a community might consider and describing how legal technical assistance can help with local policy development and adoption. It also provides both recommendations and questions about how to effectively enforce FDA law. Click here to access the full article.

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State

Shortchanging America’s health: A state-by-state look at how public health dollars are spent
The Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have released their annual report describing federal spending for public health, finding that funding has been flat for nearly five years. Additionally, states have cut $392 million from public health programs over the past year, limiting their ability to provide chronic and infectious disease prevention, food and water safety, environmental health improvement, and emergency preparedness efforts. The full report includes state-by-state health statistics and funding information. Click here to read more, or to get state-specific information.

New interactive tobacco policy map launched
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has launched an interactive map that provides a nationwide picture of state efforts to implement tobacco control policies. The map gives details on smokefree laws, cigarette tax rates, and tobacco control spending for each state and will be continuously updated using data from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights. Read a press release about the map, or view the map.

Webinar slides: Understanding the Local's Role in Regulating Tobacco Product Marketing Under New FDA Legislation
Presentation slides are now available from a recent National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) webinar, Understanding the Local's Role in Regulating Tobacco Product Marketing Under New FDA Legislation. Maggie Mahoney & Warren Ortland of the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium presented an overview of what the FDA law will do, ways that the law expands state and local authority, and legal issues to consider when creating state and local policies. Click here to download the slides from this presentation.

Mandating help to quit smoking (CA)
A California senator has introduced a bill that would require health insurance companies in the state to cover smoking cessation services. Supporters of the bill say the state cannot afford to allow people to be denied these services, while insurers believe they already pay too much for other state-mandated services like alcohol dependence treatment and mental health services. A similar bill that was introduced four years ago was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. Click here to read more.

S.F. supervisors vote to get tougher on smoking (CA)
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors may expand the city’s smokefree policy to cover sidewalk cafes, restaurant patios, movie and ATM lines, bingo halls and the common areas of housing complexes. The proposed law would also restrict smoking near doorways and windows of offices, stores, and restaurants. Owners of businesses where patrons smoke on outdoor patios are concerned that the policy will affect their business, but proponents of the policy counter that similar laws in other communities have had major health impacts. Click here to read more.

Ban on smoking at parks, beaches moves forward (CA)
A proposed ban on smoking in California state parks and beaches has moved one step closer to becoming law. The goals of the bill are to decrease litter, prevent secondhand smoke exposure, and prevent forest fires. The bill will face one more vote in the state senate before it is given to the governor to be signed. If the bill is passed, it will be the country’s most far-reaching smoking ban in state parks. Click here to read more.

DC Mayor okays smoking permit for two events in District (DC)
District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty, a leading sponsor of the city’s 2006 smoking ban, signed legislation approving a waiver that will allow one-time exemptions from the city’s smokefree law for two special events. Antismoking advocates urged Mayor Fenty to veto the legislation, saying it sets the precedent for other organizations to request exemptions and sends the message that influential people can bend the law. Supporters of the exemption say the bill is written narrowly enough that other exemptions will not be possible, but health advocates are disappointed nonetheless. Click here to read more.

Tobacco regulations stall (ID)
Two proposals designed to impose further regulations on tobacco products have failed to pass in an Idaho Senate committee. The first proposal was to charge retailers a fee on permits to sell tobacco in order to cover costs of the Idaho Tobacco Project, which issues the permits and conducts annual inspections of the retailers. Opponents of the permit fee claim that retailers are already struggling to make ends meet, and the tax would be an additional burden for them to shoulder; however, supporters believe that the cost of services should be put on those that use them. The other measure sought to ban dissolvable tobacco products, as they appear to be marketed towards children and teens. The companies producing the products say they are a legal product for adults similar to other legal products like cigarettes and chewing tobacco. Click here to read more.

House votes to ban most indoor smoking (IN)
A ban that would prohibit indoor smoking throughout the state except in gaming facilities has been approved by the Indiana House to be added to Senate Bill 175. While bringing the ban a step closer to becoming law, the measure must still be approved by a full House vote, pass through a House-Senate conference committee, and survive a Senate vote. Ban supporters say it will better the health of Indianans, while opponents say that local government should be able to set smoking regulations. Click here to read more.

Legislation OK'd to snuff smoking at Kansas restaurants, bars, workplaces (KS)
Kansas Governor Parkinson has signed a comprehensive statewide smokefree policy. HB 2221, the Kansas Clean Indoor Air Act, will forbid smoking in all bars, restaurants, and public workplaces, including at-home day care centers, taxis, and limousines. The ban would not apply to tobacco shops, private clubs, smoking rooms in hotels, or state-run casino floors. The ban is expected to take effect on July 1. Click here to read more. Click here to read a press release from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Gov. Christie's proposal to eliminate funding for tobacco prevention program will increase youth smoking and raise healthcare costs (NJ)
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has proposed eliminating all state funding for tobacco prevention and cessation efforts in his state budget. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids issued a statement on the budget proposal noting that while the state may save money in the short term, the proposal would eventually cost taxpayers an additional $125 million in state healthcare costs related to smoking. TFK proposes a health-friendly alternative: increasing the tax on tobacco products other than cigarettes to $2.70, in line with the current cigarette tax, in order to increase state revenue by $20.8 million annually. Click here to view the press release.

House backs ban on smoking in care with young children (UT)
The Utah House has passed a bill that would prohibit smoking in any vehicle when a child younger than eight is present. The proposal, designed to protect children from secondhand smoke, sets a fine of $45 for those caught breaking the law. Opponents of the ban argue that a ticket will not prevent many people from smoking around their children, and intrudes upon personal liberties. Click here to read more.

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National

FDA restricts tobacco marketing to youth
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued new rules restricting tobacco industry marketing and sales to youth. The rules, which will go into effect on June 22, will ban all tobacco industry sponsorship of sports or entertainment events, prohibit free tobacco samples and tobacco vending machines in any place accessible to minors, and restrict advertising seen by youth to black and white text, among other measures. These new rules are being implemented after new authority was given to the FDA to regulate tobacco products. A 1996 attempt to prohibit tobacco marketing to youth was overturned in the Supreme Court in 2000, but when several of the new marketing restrictions were challenged, all of the limits except for those on text-only advertisements were upheld. Click here to read more or click here for a full list of restrictions.

FDA announces meeting information and voting membership of the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee
The Food and Drug Administration has appointed a panel of scientists and health professionals to a Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee, which will provide FDA with advice, information, and recommendations on tobacco-related issues. The panel will meet at the end of March to discuss the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, the use of menthol in tobacco products, and topics for future meetings. The meeting will be open to the public, and a webcast will be available on www.fda.gov/tobacco. Click here to view a press release from FDA, or click here to read more about the committee and its tasks.

Congress approves bill curbing internet tobacco sales in victory for kids and taxpayers
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act on March 17, about a week after Senate approval was achieved The PACT Act will require internet retailers to pay all applicable taxes, comply with state and local laws, and verify the age and identity of purchasers. It also bans the delivery of tobacco products in the U.S. Mail and gives federal and state law enforcement new tools to prevent delivery of illegal tobacco products. House approval was the last step necessary before the law can be signed into effect by President Obama. Click here to read more about the passing of the bill. Click here to download a fact sheet with more information on what the PACT Act will do, or click here for a fact sheet on how state and local governments will benefit from the new law.

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International

GE plans new American export – outdoor smoking ban
Connecticut-based General Electric Company (GE) has announced that smoking and chewing tobacco will be prohibited on all company property worldwide starting in March 2011. GE already has indoor smokefree policies in place in about 80% of its facilities around the world; the new extended ban is part of an effort to encourage employees to adapt healthier lifestyles. Further incentives to quit smoking were presented through GE’s insurance plan, which charges smokers an additional $625 per year. Click here to read more.

7 governors consider measures against passive smoking (Japan)
A recent survey showed that attitudes toward smokefree policies are changing among the governors of Japan’s 47 prefectures, or states. The data showed that seven Japanese governors intend to create smokefree laws in their jurisdictions to protect citizens from secondhand smoke. An additional eighteen governors said that they expect the national government to enact such laws in the near future, as the country has signed the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Ten governors were concerned about state enforcement of smoking bans, as it would go against personal freedoms. Click here to read more.

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