Other Announcements

General

International Call for Papers: Research to reduce tobacco-related inequalities around the world
The Tobacco Research Network on Disparities (TReND), funded by the National Cancer Institute and Legacy Foundation, is issuing an International Call for Papers to better understand the role of social stratification in global tobacco-related inequalities.  Selected papers will be featured in a special journal issue published by Cancer Causes and Control. Manuscripts should be submitted by email to Allison Rose by Monday, April 18, 2011. Click here to download a copy of the Call for Papers, and learn more about the research questions and guidelines for submitting a manuscript.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids' redesigned website
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has launched their newly redesigned website, which features a new look, navigation tools, and features that provide comprehensive information about the group’s initiatives to reduce tobacco use and its toll in the United States and around the world. The State and Local Issues tab on the home page contains links to key information for state advocates, such as fact sheets and resources to support efforts to raise tobacco taxes, pass smoke-free laws, and fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs. New features include: a Fact Sheet Finder tool to make it easier to find specific fact sheets; a blog, Tobacco Unfiltered to keep users up to date on new developments and make it easier for users to share news through social media sites; simplified main navigation broken down into five main categories of information (Facts & Issues, Take Action, What We Do, Who We Are and Media Center); and a Tobacco Industry Watch section featuring efforts to expose the tobacco industry’s harmful practices. The website is still found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.

HHS announces $750 million investment in prevention
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced that $750 million will be invested in prevention and public health this year. The funds will be used to prevent tobacco use, obesity, heart disease, stroke, and cancer; increase immunization uptake; and provide communities with resources for local initiatives. The investment is part of the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which is mandated by the Affordable Care Act, and aims to expand and sustain the capacity to prevent, detect, and manage disease. The new funds will be used toward four priority areas: community prevention, clinical prevention, public health infrastructure, and research and tracking. Click here for more details.

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FDA Announcements

Guidance for industry and FDA staff: "Harmful and potentially harmful constituents" in tobacco products
The FDA has released a guidance document to define the term “harmful and potentially harmful constituent” as part of a requirement under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Under the Tobacco Control Act, the FDA is required to establish and periodically revise a list of harmful and potentially harmful ingredients and their quantities in each tobacco product on the market by brand and/or sub-brand. The guidance document defines “harmful and potentially harmful constituent” as any chemical in a tobacco product or tobacco smoke that can be inhaled, ingested, or absorbed into the body and causes or has the potential to cause direct or indirect harm to its users or non-users. Examples of constituents that could potentially cause direct and indirect harm are provided. Guidance documents are intended to communicate FDA’s current ideas on a particular topic, and are considered recommendations instead of legally-binding documents. Click here to read the guidance.

Menthol report: What to expect
The FDA has created a webpage that explains what should be expected from the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee’s upcoming report and recommendations about the impact of menthol cigarettes on public health. The website explains the layout and content of the report, which will contain information on the methods used to gather evidence; the physiological effects of menthol; patterns of menthol smoking; marketing, initiation, addiction, and cessation; effects of menthol on disease risks of smoking, toxicology, biomarkers, and epidemiology; the overall public health impact; and final conclusions and recommendations. Draft copies of each chapter will be reviewed at upcoming public meetings, and the tobacco industry has also been asked to develop a perspective document to accompany the report. The final report and recommendations are due to the Secretary of Health and Human Services by March 23, 2011. Since any recommended actions would require the development of formal rules, including time for public notice and comment, the report will not have an immediate effect on the availability of menthol cigarettes. Click here to read more about the report.

Materials from December 8, 2010 stakeholder discussion with tobacco manufacturers, growers and warehousers now available
The FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) has been hosting a series of discussions with representatives from various stakeholder groups affected by federal tobacco regulation. CTP held its second Stakeholder Discussion Series session with Tobacco Manufacturers, Growers, and Warehousers on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Presentations and an annotated agenda with a brief summary of discussion topics from the meeting have been posted on the FDA website. Click here to access the materials.

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