Public Reaction to FDA Regulation of Menthol and Nicotine

Pearson, Jennifer

Friday, August 17, 2012: 8:00 AM

3501F (Kansas City Convention Center)

Dr. Jennifer Pearson, PhD, MPH , Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Control and Policy Studies, Legacy, Washington, DC

Dr. Robert McMillen, PhD , Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS

Dr. Amanda Richardson, PhD , Research and Evaluation, Legacy, Washington, DC

Dr. Susanne Tanski, MD, MPH, FAAP , Pediatrics, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon General Pediatrics , Lebannon, NH

Mr. Mark Gottlieb, JD , Northeastern University School of Law, Public Health Advocacy Institute, Boston, MA

Dr. Jonathan Winickoff, MD, MPH , Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School/ American Academy of Pediatrics Richmond Center, Boston, MA

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this presentation attendees will be able to:

1) Explain the FDA tobacco regulatory process. 2) List the FDA’s new tobacco regulatory powers. 3) Describe patterns underlying public support for FDA regulation of tobacco. 4) Recognize how their organization can contribute to the FDA tobacco regulatory process.

Cross Cutting Program Area(s): Tobacco Industry and Legal Issues

Audience: Tobacco control researchers and advocates who want to learn more about FDA tobacco regulation and the publicÕs support for potential regulatory actions. Key Points: In 2009, the FDA was empowered to regulate tobacco products, including the ability to ban menthol in cigarettes and reduce cigarette nicotine yields. Using the 2011 Social Climate Survey of Tobacco Control, we present nationally representative data on public support for banning menthol and reducing nicotine yields. Both banning menthol (72%) and reducing nicotine yields (65%) are popular among American adults, especially among current smokers, African Americans, and people with less than a high school diploma, groups that bear the greatest burden of tobacco-related disease. This presentation will also give an overview of the FDAÕs new powers, explain the tobacco regulatory process, and describe how tobacco control researchers and advocates can become involved via submissions to the federal docket. Educational Experience: The audience will learn key points via lecture, visual aids, and a case study explaining the FDA regulatory process and menthol cigarettes. Benefits: This presentation will convey practical information about the regulatory process and the publicÕs support for tobacco regulation. Advocates and researchers will learn how they can become involved in the FDAÕs tobacco regulatory process.