FDA releases report on Menthol in Cigarettes- Public Comment Opportunity & Scientific Efforts

Posted at http://lgbthealthequity.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/fda-releases-report-on-menthol-in-cigarettes-public-comment-opportunity-scientific-efforts/ reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

Daniella Matthews-Trigg, Program Associate

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it is issuing a 60 day Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to seek additional information (comments, data, research, etc.) from the public to help the agency make informed decisions about what, if any, regulatory action to take in regards to menthol in cigarettes. (Remember how Brazil banned flavored cigarettes including menthol? The FDA will be setting up a govt to govt conversation with Brazil!)

“Menthol cigarettes raise critical public health questions,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. “The FDA is committed to a science-based approach that addresses the public health issues raised by menthol cigarettes, and public input will help us make more informed decisions about how best to tackle this important issue moving forward.”

 

The FDA is also making available for public comment their preliminary independent scientific evaluation (whew!) of the health effects of menthol cigarettes looking at initiation, addiction, and cessation: Preliminary Scientific Evaluation of the Possible Public Health Effects of Menthol Versus Nonmenthol Cigarettes.

Additionally, the FDA is currently funding investigator initiated menthol-related studies looking at;

1. Whether genetic differences and taste perceptions could explain why certain racial and ethnic groups are more likely to use menthol tobacco products.

2. Compare exposure to carcinogens from menthol and nonmenthol cigarettes

3. Examining the effects on menthol and nonmenthol products on tobacco addiction

 

And, stay tuned for an upcoming, FDA-developed youth education campaign for roll-out at end of calendar year with an emphasis on menthol!
(Check out the FDA’s full press release HERE)

*Read more about the menthol debate on our blog:
MARY POPPINS COULD TEACH US HOW TO REFRAME THE MENTHOL DEBATE
BRAZIL LEADING THE WORLD IN TOBACCO CONTROL BY BANNING THE SALE OF FLAVORED CIGARETTES INCLUDING MENTHOL
And, from 2011…URGE THE FDA TO BAN MENTHOLATED CIGARETTES SIGN ON TODAY HTTP://BIT.LY/PROTECTYOUTHBANMENTHOL
Also, there is an article in the New York Times about this!

Mayor Emanuel Takes Bold Steps to Protect Chicago’s Kids from Menthol Cigarettes

Statement of Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

WASHINGTON, DC – The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids applauds Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for his bold leadership in working to protect the city’s kids from the serious public health problems posed by menthol cigarettes.

Mayor Emanuel announced today that he has asked the Chicago Board of Health and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) to undertake a series of initiatives aimed at curtailing the use of menthol cigarettes by youth in Chicago. These agencies will host a series of town hall meetings to identify innovative, community-driven solutions to reduce menthol cigarette use among Chicago’s youth. In addition, CDPH will launch a tobacco prevention ad campaign in October that focuses on menthol cigarette use.

Mayor Emanuel’s initiative comes just days after a 153-page report by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration underscored the serious public health problems posed by menthol cigarettes. The report reached three key conclusions, finding that menthol cigarettes lead to 1) increased smoking initiation among youth and young adults; 2) greater addiction; and 3) decreased success in quitting smoking. “These findings, combined with the evidence indicating that menthol’s cooling and anesthetic properties can reduce the harshness of cigarette smoke and the evidence indicating that menthol cigarettes are marketed as a smoother alternative to nonmenthol cigarettes, make it likely that menthol cigarettes pose a public health risk above that seen with nonmenthol cigarettes,” the FDA’s report concluded.

As Mayor Emanuel wrote to city health leaders, among African-American youth ages 12-17 who smoke, 72 percent use menthol cigarettes and among LGBT youth who smoke, 71 percent smoke menthol. In March 2011, an FDA scientific advisory committee found that menthol cigarettes have been disproportionately marketed to youth and African Americans.

Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 Americans and costing the nation $96 billion in health care bills each year. Mayor Emanuel is providing the strong leadership we need to protect our children from tobacco addiction and win the fight against this deadly epidemic. CONTACT: Peter Hamm, 202-296-5469

Peter S. Hamm
Director, National Communications
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
202-296-5469
Phamm@tobaccofreekids.org

Post from Dr. Scout and Network for LGBT Equity

Network Changes: Saying Goodbye to Gustavo & Taking a Staff Break

As I’ve mentioned before, we’ve now hit the funding gap between the current and the next health disparity network awards. As of tomorrow, the Network will no longer be staffed until we hear (hopefully!) that we’ve been chosen as one of the next round of disparity networks. We expect this news to come in one to two months. Until then, Scout, the stalwart Steering Committee, and Daniella will be checking in every so often to keep the dust from gathering. This Network started with the efforts of amazing volunteers, so this is just a bit of going back to our roots. Good news is we think we’ve submitted a very strong proposal for the next round of funding so are optimistic we’ll be restaffed in a month or two.

Sadder news for us is our project manager, the amazing Gustavo Torrez, has decided he’s heading off for firmer ground. I don’t think there’s a person who’s interacted with the Network who could fail to realize just what a gem Gustavo is. He’s been in tobacco control since he was 12 years old! He’s long been a fearless youth advocate, is a force of nature when he presents, and can make hugely complicated events like our summit come off so smoothly we almost forget how hard we worked before he came on board. We shall miss Gustavo dearly, but we have faith he will stay one of the leaders to watch in tobacco control.

Changes aren’t always easy, but hold tight, the Network is much more than a few staff, plus we’re planning some great new things come Fall.

E-Cigarettes: The Vapor This Time? Live Webcast Panel 1-4 PDT

Posted at http://www.trdrp.org/ecigarettes.php Reposted at http://tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com, 

E Cigarettes: The Vapor This Time? Live Panel Cast

Expert researchers will present the state of the science on electronic cigarettes. A question and answer discussion period will follow presentations:

Jean-Francois Etter, PhD, University of Geneva, Switzerland
Monique Williams, ABD, University of California Riverside
Chris Bullen, MBChB, PhD, Auckland University, New Zealand
Prudence Talbot, PhD, University of California Riverside
Discussant: Stanton Glantz, PhD, University of California San Francisco

 

Host: Tobacco Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP), University of California Office of the President

Event details including general registration and registration for Continuing Medical Education / CE units will be posted on this website in the coming months. Please visit us again. Save the Date email questions to:TDRPlivewebcast@ucop.edu

Smoking Cessation Leadership Center Celebrates Milestones

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

To celebrate our 10^th anniversary, the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, a national program office of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will review ten milestones from our work over the last decade and ten emerging directions. 

Click here to see the first of ten write-ups from our director, Dr. Steve Schroeder.

 #1 Milestone:  Helping to incorporate smoking cessation into mainstream treatment of mental health disorders and addictions.

#1 Emerging Direction:  Continued work with behavioral health professional groups, including the military and Department of Defense (DoD). 

 

#3 Milestone: Ask, Advise, and Refer as an acceptable cessation strategy, including promoting the national quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW).

#3 Emerging Direction: Extend the reach of quitlines.

 #3 Emerging Direction: Ban cigarette sales from chain pharmacies nationwide.

 #4 Milestone:  Marketing Rx for Change: Clinician-assisted tobacco cessation.

Posted by the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, University of California, San Francisco, Department of Medicine.
Box 1211
3333 California Street, Suite 430
San Francisco, CA  94118
Direct: (415) 476-0216
web: http://smokingcessationleadership.ucsf.edu/

 

 

Smoking Cessation Leadership Center Announces Free CEUs

A message from the SCLC  reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com

Dear Colleagues,

The Smoking Cessation Leadership Center (SCLC) is pleased to announce the availability of FREE continuing education credits for physicians and allied health professionals thanks to the support of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  All are welcome to claim credits.  Offer expires September 2013.

Choose any of the available online CME/CEU courses accessible from the SCLC website.  Feel free to complete more than one course.  Each online course is designated with 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. 

Follow instructions on the following link:

http://smokingcessationleadership.ucsf.edu/Webinarscme.htm

Accreditation: the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians and allied health professionals.  UCSF designates each online webinar activity with a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM.

Don’t need to claim CME/CEUs?  SCLC issues free certificates of attendance for those who want contact hours only. 

For more information, contact Reason Reyes, SCLC Director of Technical Assistance, at rreyes@medicine.ucsf.edu or call toll-free (877) 509-3786.

Candy or Tobacco!

Video from Tobacco Free Florida. Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrsWp-8JZU8

Vidoe on candy-flavored and appearing tobacco products taregeting kids

ActiontoQuit Update

What If Boy

Ability to Quit Smoking Linked to Higher Wages
July 19, 2013   Former smokers earn higher wages than smokers and people who have never smoked, according to new research. Read More.
 
CT Scan Benefits High-Risk Smokers
July 19, 2013   Using low-dose CT scans to screen for lung cancer could prevent many deaths among those at highest risk, a new study suggests. Read More.

Homeless Face Hidden Epidemic of Smoking

July 18, 2013   The rate of addiction to cigarettes is extremely high among Americans who are homeless, experts say, and this population needs better access to methods of helping them quit. Read more.

Can Your Landlord Evict You for Smoking?
July 18, 2013   It is getting harder and harder to find a place to smoke cigarettes. Read more.
 
Impulsive People More Likely To Smoke Cigarettes And Have Trouble Quitting
July 17, 2013   A neurological proclivity for impulsive behavior has been show to play a key role in the onset of smoking and pattern of consumption, as well as with relapse after quitting amid strong craving for the drug nicotine. Read more.
 
Even Healthy-Looking Smokers Have Early Cell Damage Which Destroys Necessary Genetic Programming
July 17, 2013   Smokers who’ve received a clean bill of health from their doctor may believe cigarettes haven’t harmed their lungs. Read more.

World Health Organization advises against E-cigarettes
July 16, 2013   As part of their Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI), the World Health Oganization (WHO) made a statement earlier this week concerning the use of electronic cigarettes or ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery systems). Read More.

Poor Diet, Tobacco Use and Lack of Physical Activity Taking Toll on Nation’s Health
July 16, 2013   While we’re living longer, poor diet, tobacco use and inadequate physical activity are negatively impacting our health. Read More.

Smoking And Heavy Drinking In Combination May Hasten Mental Decline Of Aging
July 15, 2013   To many, drinking and smoking go together like peanut butter and jelly — one hand helping the other. Read more.

One Third of World’s Population Benefits From Effective Tobacco Control Measure
July 15, 2013   At 2.3 billion, the number of people worldwide covered by at least one life-saving measure to limit tobacco use has more than doubled in the last five years, according to the WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2013. Read more.
 

Social Marketing and Tobacco Campaigns Webinar available

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

Did you miss last month’s webinar, “Social Marketing and Tobacco Campaigns,” with Les Pappas, MPA, President & Creative Director, Better World Advertising, and Kristin Harms, Communications Manager, California Smokers’ Helpline?

The Smoking Cessation Leadership Center (SCLC) is pleased to announce the availability of this webinar as an online CME/CEU course. Other online CME/CEU webinars can be accessed from the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center’s website: http://smokingcessationleadership.ucsf.edu/Webinarscme.htm

Accreditation: the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians and allied health professionals.

UCSF designates each online webinar activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM for a fee of $25 per CME/CEU certificate.

Don’t need to claim CME/CEUs?  SCLC issues free certificates of attendance for those who want contact hours only.  Feel free to view the recording direct from this webpage: http://smokingcessationleadership.ucsf.edu/Webinars.htm

--

Tobacco resourse-including ACA and Tobacco

Study Finds E-Cigarettes Used Primarily for Quitting Smoking

Three-quarters of people who use e-cigarettes say their motivation was to replace cigarettes, a new survey finds. People using e-cigarettes believe they are safer than regular cigarettes, the researchers say.

 Is Snus the Same as Dip? Smokers' Perceptions of New Smokeless Tobacco Advertising.  Tobacco Control (Mar 2013). Current smoker responses to snus advertising are not consistent with harm reduction. 

 Toolkit: Tobacco Cessation and the Affordable Care Act.  American Lung Association.  Contains materials and analyses exploring ACA provisions that address tobacco cessation and prevention, as well as factsheets, template letters, and other helpful tools.

·         Fact sheet: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the Affordable Care Act: Implications for Coverage of Tobacco Cessation Benefits.  Tobacco Control Legal Consortium.  Addresses how these federal laws affect insurance coverage for one type of substance use disorder benefits: tobacco cessation benefits.

·         Implementation of tobacco cessation coverage under the Affordable Care Act: Understanding how Private Health Insurance Policies Cover Tobacco Cessation Treatments.  The Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, with funding from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Report concludes that many private insurance plans are failing to provide coverage for smoking cessation treatment as required by the Affordable Care Act.

Update from ActionToQuit

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

Legacy is seeking nominations for their 2013 Community Activist Award. If you would like to nominate a colleague for his or her contribution to tobacco control, read Legacy’s announcement below for more information.

Here is a new opinion article by Neal L. Benowitz and Maciej L. Goniewicz in the Journal of the American Medical Association entitled The Regulatory Challenge of Electronic Cigarettes.

Global Bridges has posted a new blog about an anti-tobacco youth campaign in the UK called “Cut films”.  The blog describes the campaign and how the life of writer and activist Deborah Hutton’s struggle with lung cancer led to its inception.

Legacy is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2013 Community Activist Award. The award will honor an influential community leader for spearheading impactful tobacco control efforts, especially those that reflect Legacy's mission to build a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. The award winner will be recognized by Legacy and receive a $2,500 honorarium.  DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS - Tuesday, September 17, 2013. To submit a nomination and for more information, please visit www.legacyforhealth.org/caa. 

Update published by Sandhia Rajan, ActionToQuit Program Manager

ActiontoQuit - Advancing Tobacco Control Policy
1015 18th St NW, Suite 300 | Washington, DC 20036

Upcoming Webinars

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

Webinar from NC Prevention Partners: Keys to Implementing a Successful Inpatient Tobacco Screening & Treatment Protocol

NC Prevention Partners invites us to learn more about the Inpatient Quit System (IQS), an online solution for healthcare organizations to assess, enhance, and evaluate their policies and protocols used to treat tobacco-using patients. Speakers will discuss how NYU has used IQS, as well as the changes they have made to increase screening, identification and follow-up of identified tobacco users. During this webinar Prevention Partners will also demonstrate the IQS showing sample questions, high-level recommendations reports, in-depth action plans, and review a few tools and resources available in the IQS toolbox.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET  REGISTER HERE

Webinar from Tobacco Control legal Consortium: Not in My Backyard

What Can Locals Do to Regulate Other Tobacco Products?  Tuesday, July 23, 2013 1:00 to 2:30pm ET

The webinar from the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium will provide an overview of local and state policy options, including youth access restrictions, smoke-free measures, sales restrictions, and pricing initiatives; present a few examples of recent legislation; and examine industry practices and hot issues related to the regulation of these emerging tobacco products. 

REGISTER HERE

Webinar from The Smoking Cessation Leadership Center: Peers Helping Peers: Ways to Quit Tobacco with Rx for Change

The Smoking Cessation Leadership Center (SCLC) is pleased to invite you to its next free webinar, “Peers Helping Peers: Ways to Quit Tobacco with Rx for Change,”
Webinar objectives: ·
Explain why it is important to quit smoking ·
Understand why tobacco products are addictive ·
Describe what helps people quit smoking ·
Explain what peer counselors can do to help others quit smoking ·
Learn from a peer consumer about how to put the training into practice

Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 1:00pm ET
Moderator: Bay Area Community Resources SCLC Deputy Director, Catherine Saucedo, will moderate the webinar.  Presenters:
Ken Duckworth, MD, Medical Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) ·
Karen S. Hudmon, DrPH, MS, RPh, Professor and Associate Head for Operations, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University ·
Frank Vitale, MA, National Director of the Pharmacy Partnership for Tobacco Cessation ·
Beth Lillard, Project Director, Adult Tobacco Cessation Services, Bay Area Community Resources ·
Karen Balsamico, Peer Coordinator, Adult Tobacco Cessation Services,

REGISTER HERE

Webinar from Emory Centers: "A Taste of Training" - Rescheduled

Introduction to TTAC’s Tobacco 101 Online Tutorial   July 31, 2013 3:00 to 3:30pm ET

Tobacco 101 is TTAC’s new (free!) self-guided online tutorial that provides the information and resources necessary to understand the problems related to tobacco use and the strategies that effectively reduce tobacco use. This 30-minute webinar will provide an overview of the Tobacco 101 tutorial content, highlight the tutorial’s interactive features, and provide suggestions on how a variety of different audiences can use the tool.

 REGISTER HERE  Webinar login information will be sent directly to registered participants prior to the webinar.

Updates from ActionToQuit

Updates from ActionToQuit, reposted at http://tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

Legacy’s World Affairs
   
Cigarette Smoking at New Low Among Youths, Survey Finds
July 12, 2013   Cigarette smoking hit the lowest point ever recorded among American eighth-graders and high school sophomores and seniors last year, a newly released report shows. Read More.

Spurn Burns Deep for Young Smokers
July 12, 2013   They laugh at the thought of getting throat cancer, but tell them they won’t pull chicks if they taste like an ashtray and young smokers will take notice. Read More.

Law Spoils Tobacco’s Taste, Australians Say
June 11, 2013   More than seven months have passed since Australia imposed one of the world’s toughest laws for tobacco warning labels, swapping iconic packaging for graphic images of mouth ulcers, cancerous lungs and gangrenous limbs. Read more.

Cigarette Smoke Impacts Genes Linked to Health of Heart and Lungs
July 11, 2013   Diana J. Bigelow and colleagues point out that active smoking doubles the risk of heart disease, while second-hand smoke exposure increases this risk by about one-third. Read more.
 
Statewide Bans Boost Smoke-Free Campus Momentum
July 10, 2013   College smokers are finding themselves increasingly out of luck, as more schools across the USA ban smoking and use of other tobacco products from campus grounds. Read more.

Tobacco Control Measures in India Could Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke Deaths
July 10, 2013   Smokefree laws and higher tobacco taxes in India could prevent nine million heart disease and stroke deaths over the next decade, a new study says. Read more.

Denormalizing Smoking: Making the Case for Banning Cigarettes in Parks and On Beaches
July 9, 2013   Many state and local governments have banned smoking in parks and on beaches on the basis that passive smoke is a risk for non-smokers, cigarette butts pollute the environment, and seeing people smoke poses a long-term risk to children. Read More.

Adverse Fetal Growth, Exposure to Maternal Smoking Correlated with Lower Measures of Sperm Quality
July 8, 2013   Studies over the past 20 years have suggested (though not unequivocally confirmed) that semen quality is in decline, reflected most evidently in falling sperm counts and reduced sperm motility. Read more.

Sweden’s Snus Tobacco Invades, but Americans Prefer Snuff
July 8, 2013   Josh Pedigo likes to spit, the 27-year-old handyman from Wentworth, N.C., started using Skoal snuff when he was 10 years old, and now he spits even when he doesn’t have a wad of tobacco in his lower lip. Read more.
 

Building a Recovery-Oriented System of Care Cleveland, OH Lunch & Learn

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

You and your colleagues are invited to a special Lunch and Learn event!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (ET) Maggiano's Little Italy, Beachwood, OH* Click here for location information

Summary

Join Addiction Professional August 13 in Cleveland, OH, for lunch and a panel discussion on the Recovery-Oriented System of Care model, and how multiple providers can better coordinate their care to help clients maintain sobriety.

Key takeaways will include:

• How the Recovery-Oriented System of Care model has shifted the focus of addiction treatment facilities from episodic care to ongoing recovery support.
• Community-based recovery centers that help individuals gain important life skills and strengthen their long-term sobriety.
• Practical strategies to help treatment facilities and individual providers partner with recovery organizations to offer more extended support to patients.

One hour of continuing education credit will be available.

 

*Also offered in other parts of the country, contact organizer for more information.

Medical Professionals & Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT)

For more information  posted at http://www.centerforebp.case.edu/resources/tools/medical-professionals--integrated-dual-disorder-treatment-iddt reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

 

 

This eight-page booklet is designed for medical professionals who want to improve their clinical relationships with and, thus, outcomes for people with co-occurring severe mental illness and substance use disorders. It is designed for the following: psychiatrists; physicians of internal medicine and family practice; nurses; other physicians (e.g., obstetrics and gynecology; neurology).
This booklet is a quick introduction to the principles and practices of Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT), the evidence-based practice. IDDT combines substance abuse services with mental health services and helps people address both disorders at the same time-in the same service organization by the same team of treatment providers.
Some strategies for medical professionals discussed in this booklet include the following:

• Give psychotropic medication even if the consumer is still using alcohol or other drugs.
• Treat addiction with appropriate medications.
• Avoid medication known to increase addiction.
• Communicate regularly with members of the multidisciplinary IDDT service team.

---

Free PDF available, or you may order hard copies by mail or fax.

ABOUT THE MODEL: Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT), the evidence-based practice, was developed and is studied by researchers at the Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center of Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, New Hampshire. The researchers include Robert E. (Bob) Drake, MD, PhD; Kim T. Mueser, PhD; and their colleagues.

 

Do Smoking Bans Apply to E-Cigarettes?

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com, Posted at ActionToQuit at http://actiontoquit.org/news/Do-Smoking-Bans-Apply-to-E-Cigarettes/

July 2, 2013 Look at any electronic cigarette company’s website, and you’ll read that you can smoke the battery-operated devices almost anywhere. Up until recently, Blu eCigs boasted on its website that one benefit over traditional cigarettes is that you can “Smoke anywhere!” The website has since toned down its language to say that you can “Smoke in many places where traditional cigarettes aren’t allowed!” The confusion about where you can or cannot smoke e-cigarettes has posed a challenge for the travel industry. The FDA has not ruled on the safety of e-cigarettes, but the agency will propose a rule on how to regulate them down the road. That’s not stopping people who want to quit smoking from turning to the smokeless, odorless alternative.

For More Information, Click HERE.

 

Update on Ohio Tobacco Regulations from Cresha Auck Foley, American Heart Assoc.

A note from Cresha Auck Foley, Government Relations Director, Ohio American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Reposted at http://tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

 

I know many of you are interested in the outcome of the hearing today on the Smoke Free Ohio rule review.  As you recall, all agencies are now required to review rules every five years as part of the Common Sense Initiative.  The Ohio Department of Health began that process last June.  There are three critical steps left before the rule review is complete.  As of today, two of those are done.

On June 12^th, ODH held a public hearing on the proposed rules – most of which mirror the current rules.  At that time, no opposition provided testimony.

Today, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) had a hearing on the change rules (the few rules that are being changed from current form.)  I am pleased to report the hearing lasted just minutes!  There was no opposition and the rules sailed through!  (Perhaps the opposition has accepted Smoke Free Ohio!?!)

We have one additional hearing left on July 22 for the no change rules. 

Thanks for all of your support on this issue and all tobacco issues!

UPdates from Action to Quit

Posted by Action ToQuit, reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

 

The Tobacco Control Legal Consortium has updated their fact sheet which provides a brief overview clarifying differences between legislative and administrative terms such as laws, policies, rules and regulations. The definitions included are short, general, and restricted to tobacco control examples. The fact sheet can be found HERE.

The Tobacco Control Legal Consortium will be hosting a webinar on July 23, 2013 from 12:00 noon - 1:30 p.m. Central Time (9:00 – 10:30 AM ET) entitled "Not in My Backyard:  What Can Locals Do to Regulate Other Tobacco Products?". The webinar will provide an overview of local and state policy options, including youth access restrictions, smoke-free measures, sales restrictions, and pricing initiatives; present a few examples of recent legislation; and examine industry practices and hot issues related to the regulation of these emerging tobacco products. For More Information and to register, click HERE.

June 17, 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of a historic statement made by Canada’s Minister of National Health and Welfare, Judy LaMarsh, that smoking causes lung cancer. This statement came 7 months before the U.S. Surgeon General’s 1964 report on Smoking and Health.  Minister LaMarsh rose in the House of Commons and declared: “There is scientific evidence that cigarette smoking is a contributory cause of lung cancer and that it may also be associated with chronic bronchitis and coronary heart disease.” This video from a Canadian news channel describes the historic date and its impact on Canada.

Excellent Parks Anti-Smoking Signs

Reposted at http://tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

GLENDALE, Calif. -- It's not the kind of sign you usually see at a park: ""Our deer don't smoke in your backyard. Please don't smoke in theirs."

But the Los Angeles foothill suburb of Glendale hopes such jokes will do a serious job and keep smokers from trashing local parks and trails.

The Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/12yElO8) says 18 humorous signs were put up in April throughout the Verdugo and San Rafael mountains, at the Glendale Sports Complex and Deukmejian Wilderness Park.
Other samples: "Do not throw cigarette butts on the ground. Our squirrels are getting cancer" and "Smokers will be fed to the bears."
Smoking is banned on city trails and parks but the city doesn't have enough workers to patrol every trail.
___
Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

Kenneth Warner Lecture Series

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,
The Passion and Power of Young People in the Ongoing Fight Against Tobacco Webinar

On Wednesday, July 24th, Legacy and the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) will host a special youth-led panel discussion, as part of the Kenneth E. Warner Series Lecture, which will highlight the power and passion of youth engagement in tobacco control. Young leaders will discuss the challenges and successes of the movement and, with the upcoming release of the 50th Anniversary of the Surgeon General's report, its significance in the future of tobacco control for years to come.   The live webcast will be archived for your convenience.   Moderator: Ritney Castine, Associate Director of Youth advocacy, CTFK (Former Legacy Youth Board Liaison)    Panelists: Chad Bullock, Founding Director of Forget Tobacco Kaitlyn Reilly, Communications Consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton Anna Santayana, Grassroots Marketing Coordinator for Legacy (Former crew marketer for the truth®tour) Lee Storrow, Managing Director of the NC Alliance for Health and Member of the City Council for North Carolina Chapel Hill (Former Legacy Youth Board Liaison) ·         Gustavo Torrez, Program Manager for the Network for LGBT Health Equity

For more information, please contact Laura Cruzada at lcruzada@legacyforhealth.org or 202-341-0324.

SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday July 24, 2013 from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM EDT

Nominate a Colleague for Legacy's Community Activist Award

Nominate a Colleague for Legacy's Community Activist Award

 

Reposted at http://tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

Legacy is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2013 Community Activist Award. The award will honor an influential community leader for spearheading impactful tobacco control efforts, especially those that reflect Legacy's mission to build a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. The award winner will be recognized by Legacy and receive a $2,500 honorarium. 

 DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS - Tuesday, September 17, 2013

To submit a nomination and for more information, please visit www.legacyforhealth.org/caa. 

Smokers may get a break from Obamacare glitch

Posted at MSN.com Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

 

Tobacco users are slated to pay penalties under Obama's new health care law, but a computer glitch leads to another implementation delay.

WASHINGTON — Some smokers trying to get coverage next year under President Barack Obama's health care law may get a break from tobacco-use penalties that could have made their premiums unaffordable.

 

The Obama administration — in yet another health care overhaul delay — has quietly notified insurers that a computer system glitch will limit penalties that the law says the companies may charge smokers. A fix will take at least a year to put in place.

Older smokers are more likely to benefit from the glitch, experts say. But depending on how insurers respond to it, it's also possible that younger smokers could wind up facing higher penalties than they otherwise would have.

Some see an emerging pattern of last-minute switches and delays as the administration scrambles to prepare the Oct. 1 launch of new health insurance markets. People who don't have coverage on the job will be able to shop for private insurance, with tax credits to help pay premiums. Small businesses will have their own insurance markets.

Last week, the White House unexpectedly announced a one-year postponement of a major provision in the law that requires larger employers to offer coverage or face fines. Officials cited the complexity of the requirement as well as a desire to address complaints from employers.
For more of this article go to http://news.msn.com/us/smokers-may-get-a-break-from-obamacare-glitch?ocid=ansnews11

Related: Federal govt delays key requirement of Obamacare until 2015
Related: Are non-smokers smarter than smokers?
Related: 1-in-5 US smokers has tried an e-cigarette
 

SCLC 10 Years of Milestones Series

Published by SCLC, reposted by http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com

To celebrate our 10^th anniversary, the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, a national program office of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will review ten milestones from our work over the last decade and ten emerging directions. 

 Click here to see the first of ten write-ups from our director, Dr. Steve Schroeder.

 
#1 Milestone:  Helping to incorporate smoking cessation into mainstream treatment of mental health disorders and addictions.

#1 Emerging Direction:  Continued work with behavioral health professional groups, including the military and Department of Defense (DoD). 

Turkish man wears helmet-like head cage to quit smoking

In an unusual bid to quit smoking, a 42-year-old man in the western province of Kütahya has begun wearing a helmet-like wire cage on his head, locked on two sides.

İbrahim Yücel, who is trying to kick a 26-year habit of smoking two packets of cigarettes per day, gives the keys of his head cage to his wife and daughter when he leaves home every day. In this way, he is unable to open the cage to smoke during the day, even if he craves a smoke.

He says he was inspired to create the helmet-like head cage by observing motorcycle helmets, after trying without success to quit smoking several times in the past. His father died of lung cancer caused by smoking some years ago.

Since donning the head cage two days ago, Yücel has not smoked a single cigarette. 

At first shocked by the extraordinary contraption, his family now supports Yücel's determined bid to stop smoking.
Posted at http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-man-wears-helmet-like-head-cage-to-quit-smoking.aspx?pageID=238&nID=49849&NewsCatID=341 Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

July/01/2013