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”
Tag Archives: smoking
Calif AG releases rules for creating “Unflavored Tobacco List” for quick public comment
Despite years of vigorous opposition from the tobacco companies, in 2022 California’s law prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products went into effect. RJR Reynolds (maker of the leading menthol band, Newport), immediately responded by starting to market “non-menthol” cigarettes with virtually the same packaging as the menthol version in California, claiming that these productsContinue reading “Calif AG releases rules for creating “Unflavored Tobacco List” for quick public comment”
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”
Cass Wheeler, former CEO of American Heart Association and a wonderful mentor, died
I was saddened to learn that on June 20, 2025, Cass Wheeler died, just short of his 85th birthday. Cass spent 35 years at the American Heart Association, serving as CEO from 1998 through 2008. I don’t remember when or how I first met Cass, but he became an important ally and mentor. As theContinue reading “Cass Wheeler, former CEO of American Heart Association and a wonderful mentor, died”
San Francisco’s proposed Recovery First Drug Policy is a good idea
In September, San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey introduced his “Recovery First Drug Policy” that states “The cessation of illicit drug use and attainment of long-term Recovery from Substance Use Disorders shall be the primary objective of the City’s drug policy.” The policy allows for other steps, including harm reduction, as part of a comprehensive approachContinue reading “San Francisco’s proposed Recovery First Drug Policy is a good idea”
Trump gives Big Tobacco a big gift: He killed the National Youth Tobacco Survey, blinding public, researchers, and policy makers to the effects of changing tobacco industry products and practices
The now-shuttered CDC Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) has conducted the National Youth Tobacco Survey since 1999. The survey provides important surveillance about how youth tobacco use is changing. After Congress created the FDA Center for Tobacco Products, it partnered with CDC to expand the scope and depth of the survey, including increasing detailsContinue reading “Trump gives Big Tobacco a big gift: He killed the National Youth Tobacco Survey, blinding public, researchers, and policy makers to the effects of changing tobacco industry products and practices”
Three year study finds that fourth-generation e-cigarettes like Juul associated with continued smoking and vaping
Most studies of the association between e-cigarette use and smoking and nicotine cessation have been conducted with the earlier generation e-cigarettes, which do not deliver nicotine as effectively as the fourth generation e-cigarettes pioneered by Juul. (These e-cigarettes use protonated nicotine [also called nicotine salts] to increase nicotine delivery to the user.) Our meta-analysis ofContinue reading “Three year study finds that fourth-generation e-cigarettes like Juul associated with continued smoking and vaping”
Forewarned is for-armed: Tobacco, food and alcohol industry efforts to intimidate health advocates and researchers
As someone who has spent decades doing public health research and advocacy on tobacco and other issues, I have been the object of several attacks and intimidation efforts, including, among other things, attacks on my professional credibility, litigation, and pressure on funders. Fortunately, thanks to a strong support network, including from the University of California,Continue reading “Forewarned is for-armed: Tobacco, food and alcohol industry efforts to intimidate health advocates and researchers”
Stanton Glantz blog 