August 29, 2023
August 3, 2023
May 12, 2023
The UCSF TCORS submitted the following public comment to the FDA on April 13, 2023. The Comment Tracking Number is lgf-ds2n-iuvb. Click here to download the PDF.
FDA’s proposed regulation establishes reasonable tobacco product manufacturing practice requirements that could help minimize the risks of products, especially to youth and young adults
Docket No. FDA-2013-N-0227
Requirements for Tobacco Product Manufacturing Practice
Lauren Kass Lempert, JD, MPH; Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD; Stanton A. Glantz, PhD;
Neal L. Benowitz, MD; Carolyn S. Calfee, MD MAS; Benjamin W. Chaffee, DDS MPH PhD; Jennifer Fung, PhD; Stuart Gansky, DrPH; Wendy Max, PhD;
Vira Pravosud, PhD, MPH, MS; Matthew L. Springer, PhD;
Pamela M. Ling, MD, MPH
UCSF TCORS
April 13, 2023
April 26, 2023
The use of vape products (e-cigarettes) to consume nicotine and cannabis (marijuana) has become a significant public health concern, especially use by adolescents. A new study conducted by Benjamin Chaffee and colleagues at UCSF and the California Tobacco Control Program gives further evidence to suggest that having flavors in those vapes may increase adolescents’ willingness to try them, regardless of whether the vape contains nicotine or cannabis.
The study was part of the 2021-2022 California Teens Nicotine and Tobacco Project and was based on a statewide online survey of 2,342 adolescents aged 12-17. As part of a discrete choice experiment within the survey, teens were shown two hypothetical vape products and asked to select which one they would be willing to use (or neither) if offered by a best friend. The hypothetical products differed in their flavor, what they contained (nicotine, cannabis, or “just vapor”), and other characteristics.
March 24, 2023
In 2017, California passed a $2 cigarette tax increase, and between 2014-2020, local Bay Area cities passed local flavored tobacco bans. Dr. Vira Pravosud led a new study that showed that between 2014 and 2020, cigarette prices increased even more than the $2 tax, and prices were higher in San Francisco and in cities in Alameda County with local flavor bans. San Francisco was more expensive than any other city in Alameda County. The study also found that the menthol flavored tobacco policy in San Francisco was well implemented. The retail stores in San Francisco had completely stopped selling Newport menthol cigarettes and Blu brand menthol e-cigarettes in 2019. This study suggests that local flavor bans affected menthol product availability and might also have indirect effects to increase tobacco prices. Higher prices and elimination of flavored tobacco products should help reduce youth tobacco use.