Pediatrics just published the final version of my paper “Tobacco Use Among Middle and High School Students: 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey.” They key observations are: Overall youth tobacco use is continuing to decline The two most commonly used products are e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches The decline in overall tobacco use is manifest across allContinue reading “Pediatrics publishes 2025 NYTS results that highlight problems with FDA’s permissive policy toward e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches”
Category Archives: menthol
2025 NYTS highlights problems with FDA’s permissive policy toward e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches
In April 2025, as part of its attack on the federal government’s tobacco control efforts, the Trump Administration pulled the plug on data collection for the 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), a large national survey of middle and high school tobacco use the CDC — later joined by the FDA — had been runningContinue reading “2025 NYTS highlights problems with FDA’s permissive policy toward e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches”
We support California’s updated”Unflavored Tobacco List” and suggest some improvements
The California Attorney Genera maintains an official “unflavored tobacco product list” to facilitate implementation and enforcement of the state’s flavored tobacco product ban. The AG proposed “readopting” an undated list. We support that proposal and made a few suggestions for improving it. A PDF is available here. This is an excellent model for other states,Continue reading “We support California’s updated”Unflavored Tobacco List” and suggest some improvements”
FDA should drop its draft guidance to allow some sales of flavored e-cigs because it ignores evidence that harm to youth outweighs theoretical benefits to adults
My colleagues and I just submitted this public comment to FDA opposing its proposal to allow sales of flavored e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) on the grounds that benefits to adults would outweigh harms to kids. It also presents evidence that two-way communication between ENDS and external agencies (that could include ENDSContinue reading “FDA should drop its draft guidance to allow some sales of flavored e-cigs because it ignores evidence that harm to youth outweighs theoretical benefits to adults”
I surprised Michael Smerconsih when he interviewed me about UK generational smoking ban
On April 23, 2026, Michael Smerconsih interviewed me about the UK Generational Smoking ban. I surprised him by arguing that generational smoking bans are bad public policy because they divert resources from more effective tobacco control policies that had faster public health benefits. I am also skeptical that they will be maintained in the longContinue reading “I surprised Michael Smerconsih when he interviewed me about UK generational smoking ban”
Local flavor bans followed by big drops in youth e-cig use
The evidence that comprehensive flavor bans are followed by drops in tobacco consumption keeps piling up. A new study by Giovanni Appolon, and colleagues, Local Flavored Tobacco Bans and Youth Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Use, of 2.8 million California middle and high school students across 483 local jurisdictions found that local flavored tobacco bans thatContinue reading “Local flavor bans followed by big drops in youth e-cig use”
California’s “Unflavored Tobacco List” will improve compliance with and enforcement of flavored tobacco ban
Last year California passed AB 3218 to tighten up and simplify compliance with and enforcement of California’s ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products. Part of this was to have the Attorney General establish and maintain an Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL) that included those tobacco products that could be sold legally in California. toContinue reading “California’s “Unflavored Tobacco List” will improve compliance with and enforcement of flavored tobacco ban”
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””
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? Advanced search capabilities: More powerful filters, faster document loading, ability to browse related items from the Document Viewer without returning to search resultsContinue reading “UCSF launches new improved Industry Documents Library”
