E-cigarette advocates — as well as regulators like the FDA — are fond of pointing out that nicotine is not a carcinogen (chemical that causes cancer) and noting that because they do not involve combustion, e-cigarettes do not deliver many carcinogenic chemicals produced by burning cigarettes. A new paper by Stella Tommasi , Ahmad BesaratiniaContinue reading “Genetic evidence that e-cigarettes increase cancer (and other disease) risk among young adults”
Category Archives: public health
FDA should not renew permission for PMI Swedish Match snus to make modified risk claims
My UCSF colleagues and I submitted this public comment to FDA last week opposing renewal of its marketing order allowing PMI’s Swedish Match Snus to make modified risk claims. (This is an updated version of the comment we submitted to TPSAC on June 10, 2024. I was backpacking when the comment was actually submitted, henceContinue reading “FDA should not renew permission for PMI Swedish Match snus to make modified risk claims”
The evidence that secondhand smoke causes breast cancer keeps piling up. When will Surg Gen, CDC, ACS and others start acting on this evidence?
In 2005 the California EPA found secondhand smoke caused breast cancer in younger women. (Related regulatory documents available here.) Amazingly, as of 2024 — 19 years later — neither the CDC (and the Surgeon General, who follows the CDC) nor the American Cancer Society list smoking or secondhand smoke as risk factors for breast cancer.Continue reading “The evidence that secondhand smoke causes breast cancer keeps piling up. When will Surg Gen, CDC, ACS and others start acting on this evidence?”
Criticism of our meta-analysis of e-cigarettes and disease and our response is published
NEJM Evidence has published two letters to the editor that raised questions about our meta-analysis, Population-Based Disease Odds for E-Cigarettes and Dual Use versus Cigarettes that concluded that for cardiovascular disease, stroke and metabolic disorder e-cigarette risks are similar to cigarettes and for respiratory and oral disease, while lower risk than cigarettes, the risks areContinue reading “Criticism of our meta-analysis of e-cigarettes and disease and our response is published”
DOJ and DEA should reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III to identify regulatory approaches from tobacco to apply to cannabis
My UCSF colleagues and I submitted this comment to DOJ supporting reschduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III ( PDF). The regulations.gov tracking number is lyx-h4jq-93z8. The Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Agency should reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III to allow consideration of the health, safety, and abuse liability impactsContinue reading “DOJ and DEA should reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III to identify regulatory approaches from tobacco to apply to cannabis”
DOJ’s proposed transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III will facilitate research on cardiovascular impacts of cannabis use
My UCSF colleagues and I just submitted this public comment supporting moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III (PDF copy). The Regulations.gov tracking number is lyx-h4jq-93z8. The Department of Justice’s proposed transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act will facilitate research on the cardiovascular impacts of cannabisContinue reading “DOJ’s proposed transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III will facilitate research on cardiovascular impacts of cannabis use”
New meta-analysis of e-cigs and cardiovascular disease shows increased risks
Chen Chen and colleagues recently published Assessing the association between e-cigarette use and cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis of exclusive and dual use with combustible cigarettes that found significantly elevated cardiovascular disease risk in dual users (people who use both e-cigarettes and cigarettes) and former smokers who had switched to e-cigarettes compared to people who hadContinue reading “New meta-analysis of e-cigs and cardiovascular disease shows increased risks”
Tobacco free generation is a bad idea that should be abandoned
In the last few years the idea of a free generation in which tobacco sales would be prohibited to all people born after a certain date has gained some traction. Ever since the idea was first proposed by some Singapore researchers in 2010, I have thought it was a bad idea. Other than declining toContinue reading “Tobacco free generation is a bad idea that should be abandoned”
Smoking gun document ties Al Sharpton to Juul, efforts to protect menthol cigs
Fenit Nirappil’s comprehensive Washington Post story How Black activists became defenders of Big Tobacco (June 21, 2024) includes the 2018 smoking gun document linking Al Sharpton the African American leader who played a key role in convincing Biden to pull FDA regulations ending menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, as well as other African American andContinue reading “Smoking gun document ties Al Sharpton to Juul, efforts to protect menthol cigs”
FDA should consider the significant public health issues, especially for youth, created by PMI co-marketing of its Swedish Match General Snus and ZYN oral nicotine products and not reauthorize modified risk claims for General Snus
My colleagues at UCSF and I submitted this comment to the FDA Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee opposing extension of PMI’s current authorization to make modified risk claims because its co-marketing with its ZYN nicotine pouch is fundamentally misleading. TPSAC is holding a meeting to discuss the modified risk request on June 26, 2024. AContinue reading “FDA should consider the significant public health issues, especially for youth, created by PMI co-marketing of its Swedish Match General Snus and ZYN oral nicotine products and not reauthorize modified risk claims for General Snus”
Stanton Glantz blog 