In the face of a major push by the tobacco companies and their allies to trick Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to integrate the industry’s “harm reduction” marketing message into FCTC guidelines, the WHO has issued a position paper on harm reduction (below). The WHO’s bottom line: “When it comesContinue reading “WHO position on Tobacco Control and Harm Reduction”
Category Archives: advertising
International Pediatric Association publishes position paper concluding that “e-cigarettes are not an effective harm reduction strategy for adults and pose a serious risk to nicotine naïve youth”
On October 10, 2025, the International Pediatric Association (IPA) published a landmark position paper, “E-Cigarettes and the Nicotine Epidemic: Statement From the International Pediatric Association,” in Pediatrics, the international peer-reviewed journal published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The paper concluded, “In contrast to early hopes and assumptions, e-cigarettes are not an effective harm reductionContinue reading “International Pediatric Association publishes position paper concluding that “e-cigarettes are not an effective harm reduction strategy for adults and pose a serious risk to nicotine naïve youth””
Archived copy of Tobaccoscam website and ads on smokefree hospitality is available
In 2002 I developed an educational campaign called Tobacco Scam designed to counter tobacco industry propaganda directed at restaurants and to expose the industry’s cooptation of the state and national restaurant associations. It was called “Tobacco Scam” because it highlighted how the tobacco companies were scamming restaurants and bars into opposing smokefree laws based onContinue reading “Archived copy of Tobaccoscam website and ads on smokefree hospitality is available”
Archival copies of Smokefree Movies and Smokefree Media websites are available
I ran the Smokefree Movies campaign from 2001 through my retirement from UCSF in 2020. This education/advocacy campaign put pressure on the motion picture industry to stop promoting tobacco to young audiences through specific policy changes. We advocated for these policies though paid advertising in the trade and general press and the Smokefree Movies website.Continue reading “Archival copies of Smokefree Movies and Smokefree Media websites are available”
Our public comment supporting creation of Calif Unflavored Tobacco List with some suggestions for improvements
I previously suggested people provide public comments supporting the California Attorney General’s procedures to create an Unflavored Tobacco Products List to facilitate implementation and enforcement of California’s flavored tobacco product ban and indicated our preliminary ideas. You can read all 24 comments that were submitted here. All support continuing the survey; about half the commentsContinue reading “Our public comment supporting creation of Calif Unflavored Tobacco List with some suggestions for improvements”
UCSF launches new improved Industry Documents Library
Today the UCSF Industry Documents Library launched a complete redesign of the website that aligns with evolving institutional and user research needs and delivers a new and improved user experience. What’s new? Save the date – On Tuesday, September 9, 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT UCSF is hosting a live website open house and Q&AContinue reading “UCSF launches new improved Industry Documents Library”
Order free CDC Office on Smoking and Health publications by Friday Aug 15. After that they will be destroyed.
As part of its campaign to keep the public in the dark, the Trump Administration is closing the CDC Publication Warehouse on Friday August 15. You can still order these Office on Smoking and Health publications for free until then. You can order multiple copies if you want. Items not ordered by Friday will beContinue reading “Order free CDC Office on Smoking and Health publications by Friday Aug 15. After that they will be destroyed.”
Support CDC plan to reinstate NYTS by Aug 15 deadline to submit supportive public comments
In April 2025, the Trump Administration pulled the plug on the National Youth Tobacco Survey in the middle of collecting the 2025 sample, essentially blinding the federal government and the public from important detailed information on youth tobacco use. Now, they are proposing to reinstate it. If implemented properly, this is an important decision. ItContinue reading “Support CDC plan to reinstate NYTS by Aug 15 deadline to submit supportive public comments”
FDA ignores current science to give Juul a pass
Not surprisingly, on July 17, 2025, FDA authorized the sale of Juul tobacco and menthol e-cigarettes. I wish I could say that I am “not surprised” because during the 2024 campaign President Trump announced that he would “save vaping,” but, on reading FDA’s scientific justification (the Technical Product Lead report [TPL]), I found that theContinue reading “FDA ignores current science to give Juul a pass”
New WHO report details progress and problems in global tobacco control
In June 2025 the WHO released its new comprehensive WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2025: Warning about the dangers of tobacco. The report contains detailed country-specific analysis and statistics about progress in reducing tobacco use, policies, and industry opposition. It is a valuable reference document. It recognizes that Overall, while progress since 2007Continue reading “New WHO report details progress and problems in global tobacco control”
Stanton Glantz blog 