Other Policy

Reports

New reports: Strong state tobacco control policies could save hundreds of thousands of lives and billions of dollars in health care costs
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS-CAN) has released two state-by state reports on the health and economic impact of tobacco control policies. The reports measure the dramatic health and economic benefits of enacting strong tobacco control policies in the states. The reports quantify lives saved, reduction in smokers and health costs saved in each state from implementing comprehensive smoke-free laws or tobacco tax increases. The results provide advocates and lawmakers with new concrete evidence that smoke-free laws and tobacco taxes save lives and save money. Read more here.

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State Policy

Number of adult smokers in state creep upward (WA)
The prevalence of smoking among adults in Washington State has increased from 14.9% to 15.2%, giving the state the eleventh lowest smoking rate in the country, compared to sixth place in 1995. State officials note that the shift in ranking may have multiple causes; for example, other states have adopted smoke-free laws which have decreased their smoking rates. Also, the Washington Tobacco Prevention and Control Program has lost approximately 60% of its funding. This increase in smoking prevalence highlights the importance of comprehensive tobacco prevention programs in keeping smoking rates low. Read more here.

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National Policy

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announces expanded quitline coverage
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released new guidelines that will expand tobacco cessation coverage for Medicaid beneficiaries. The announcement provided guidance on the provision within the Affordable Care Act that requires Medicaid programs to cover the full costs of tobacco cessation services for pregnant women, and provides suggestions on how states may expand smoking cessation coverage to all Medicaid smokers. Furthermore, CMS announced a new fund matching program that will enable states to receive federal funds equal to the cost of providing telephone quitline services to Medicaid beneficiaries. Click here to read the letter that was issued to State Medicaid Directors, or click here to read remarks from Donald Berwick, M.D., Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Click here to read a press release from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which applauds the Obama Administration for its leadership in tobacco control and summarizes the implications of the announcement.

House appropriations amendment would weaken FDA's authority over tobacco, unleash big tobacco on America's kids
Language in a House Appropriations bill that would limit the authority of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products to consider the impact of tobacco ingredients on consumer behavior and regulate tobacco products was approved in June by the House Appropriations committee. Read more here. Update: FDA amendment struck from appropriations bill The language that would have limited the FDA’s ability to regulate tobacco products was later struck from the bill because it was considered legislating on an appropriations bill, a violation of House rules. Click here for more details.

U.S. House rejects Rep Stearns' amendment to give $392 million gift to big tobacco
The U.S. House of Representatives has rejected an amendment that would have reduced a user fee that tobacco companies are required to pay to fund the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products by $392 million. According to a statement from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the amendment would have weakened the Center for Tobacco Products’ ability to regulate tobacco products and protect the public from the effects of tobacco. Read more here.

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International

Impact of the removal of misleading terms on cigarette pack on smokers' beliefs about Light/Mild cigarettes: Cross-country comparisons
According to a study published in Addiction, the removal of “light” or “mild” descriptors from cigarette packs is insufficient to eliminate false beliefs about the safety of certain type of cigarettes. Researchers used survey data from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation (ITC) Four-Country Survey to determine beliefs about “light” cigarettes before and after the implementation of policies that banned “light” descriptors from appearing on cigarette packs. The results show that although there were differences between countries in the proportions of respondents that held misconceptions about cigarettes, the removal of certain words is not enough to effectively eliminate false beliefs. The authors suggest a need for education to ensure that the public fully understands the dangers of smoking, regardless of how cigarettes are marketed. Read the study abstract here.

Conflict of interest and FCTC implementation in China (China)
An article published in the journal Tobacco Control highlights the conflict of interest in China that has inhibited the public health function of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA), the government operation that manages all aspects of the nation’s tobacco industry. Researchers examined government documents and warning labels and determined that the tobacco control agency is less rigid than other countries because it must meet both commercial and public health objectives. The authors conclude that in order for China’s tobacco control efforts to become more effective, the public health function of the STMA must be separated from the commercial aspects. Read the study abstract here.

Tobacco industry attempts to influence and use the German government to undermine the WHO framework convention on tobacco control (Germany)
According to new research, the tobacco industry has played an important role in undermining the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the World Health Organization’s first global public health treaty. Researchers analyzed previously confidential tobacco industry documents and discovered that the tobacco industry protected its own interests by influencing the German government’s beliefs about the FCTC. German leaders then used their influence to limit the European Union negotiating mandate. The authors suggest that the German government failed in its responsibility to advance global health. Read the study abstract here in the journal Tobacco Control.

Tobacco companies using 'misleading' data to distort impact of health regulations (U.K.)
A new report from nonprofit public health group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) states that tobacco companies are using misleading data to support their arguments against health regulations. Despite government data that proves these claims to be untrue, the companies have issued reports suggesting that smoke-free laws and tobacco taxes have led to decreases in tax revenue and negative financial consequences for the tobacco industry, and that tobacco advertisement bans have been associated with increases in youth smoking. This report illustrates the importance of allowing government to protect the public’s health by stopping the tobacco industry from playing a role in developing health policies. Read more here.

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