Apr 21, 2010
Letter from Diane Canova

Dear Partners,

In 2008, Partnership for Prevention convened the National Working Group for ACTTION (Access to Cessation Treatment of Tobacco In Our Nation) to address the need to increase the number of smokers who are offered assistance to quit.   Partnership is now very excited to be taking the efforts of ACTTION to the next level by awarding six grants to state projects that will develop and strengthen state-level alliances for tobacco cessation.  These projects will help implement the multi-sector Call for ACTTION.

Apr 21, 2010
Spotlight:  ACTTION State Grants Announced

Partnership for Prevention has awarded six ACTTION State Grants for the implementation of innovative strategies to increase access to tobacco cessation treatments. Funds are to be used primarily for the development of state alliances and the creation of strategic plans.  The projects will have a range of focuses including employer groups, health care systems, the uninsured, and the behavioral health/substance abuse populations.

Apr 21, 2010
Interview with Erik Augustson

Erik Augustson, Ph.D., MPH, is a Program Director/Behavioral Scientist in the Tobacco Control Research Branch at the National Cancer Institute.  One of his responsibilities is the Women.Smokefree.gov website.

Apr 21, 2010
Spending for Quitlines Declines

More U.S. smokers than ever are utilizing telephone quitlines to help them stop smoking. However, budget cuts are now limiting access to this critical service according to a report released in early April by the North American Quitline Consortium and other public health organizations:  http://www.naquitline.org/report

Apr 21, 2010
FDA Advisory Committee Meets to Consider Use of Menthol in Tobacco

On March 30 and 31, the FDA Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) met for the first time.*  The committee’s first charge is to prepare a report and recommendation to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the impact on public health of the use of menthol in cigarettes.  In particular, the committee must consider the effect of banning menthol in cigarettes on cigarette consumption, initiation, market for contraband, as well as the effect on children, African Americans, Hispanics, and other racial and ethnic minorities.

Apr 21, 2010
FDA Center for Tobacco Products Reaches Out for Comments

Over the next several months, the Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) will open a series of dockets through the Federal Register to solicit information from all stakeholders on a number of specific issues related to the implementation of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act).  It will also begin a Stakeholder Listening Series extending over 12 to 18 months.

Apr 21, 2010
Tobacco Products in the News

Snus

In early April the CBS program “60 Minutes” included a feature on smokeless tobacco, focusing on snus in the United States.

E-Cigarettes

A new study published in the April issue of Tobacco Control gives evidence that that electronic cigarettes may be effective in suppressing the desire to smoke.

There are no key dates for this briefing.