 Advancing Health Equity in Tobacco Product Regulation
Throughout February, we celebrated National Black History Month. As Director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), I am deeply committed to promoting health equity for all, including Black Americans. Achieving health equity requires our Nation to address systemic problems and correct errors from the past.
On Feb. 13, FDA Office of Minority Health and Health Equity Director RDML Richardae Araojo and I discussed the impact of tobacco use on Black Americans and other populations, as well as CTP’s efforts to achieve health equity in tobacco product regulation.
During this webinar on reducing tobacco-related health disparities, we also discussed the importance of the FDA working with partners within and outside the U.S. government, particularly those focused on communities disproportionately affected by tobacco use, to make tobacco-related disease and death part of America’s past, not America’s future. I invite you to watch this important discussion.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead: FDA’s Progress on Tobacco Product Regulation in 2022
On Jan. 31, CTP Director Dr. Brian King, published a perspective looking back on the Center’s progress on tobacco regulation in 2022 and a look ahead into 2023.
The perspective shares information on key priority areas including non-tobacco nicotine, product standards, compliance and enforcement, product review and authorization, public health education, and health equity.
Bringing Health Equity to the Forefront of Tobacco Product Regulation
In an op-ed published in the HPHR Journal, CTP Director Dr. Brian King discusses one of his key priorities—health equity. In his own words, he explores FDA’s unique opportunity to create meaningful change for populations disproportionately affected by tobacco use.
The op-ed highlights the specific ways FDA is addressing tobacco-related health disparities, including:
- Advancing tobacco product regulations
- Developing evidence-based public education campaigns
- Gathering the best science
- Building and sustaining relationships with stakeholders
Read the op-ed to learn more about Dr. King’s vision for bringing health equity to the forefront of tobacco product regulation and public health education.
Tobacco Where You Live: Retail Strategies to Promote Health Equity
The CDC Office on Smoking and Health published a new supplement to the Best Practices User Guides, Tobacco Where You Live: Retail Strategies to Promote Health Equity.
The supplements empower state and local programs to understand how commercial tobacco use varies within their communities and take action to reduce tobacco use in communities with the highest prevalence.
Tobacco retailers are concentrated in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. Retail strategies can advance health equity by limiting access to and availability of commercial tobacco products, reducing exposure to tobacco marketing, and promoting cessation.
In Case You Missed It: Recent CTP News
This newsletter serves as a digest of the latest announcements and stories out of CTP. It is a complement to our Spotlight on Science newsletter and CTP News e-blasts.
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