Report: Surveying How the Tobacco Industry Markets Flavors in Five Midwestern Cities
A report from Counter Tools and Truth Initiative examines how flavored tobacco products are marketed and sold in 5 U.S. cities, with new data looking specifically at e-cigarette products. Download Materials Summary report: Surveying How the Tobacco Industry Markets Flavors in Five Midwestern Cities Full report and fSTARS form: Retail Store Assessments for Flavored Tobacco Products: [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: Point-of-Sale Pricing Policies (Episode 27)
In this episode we talk about point-of-sale pricing policies, meaning ways to raise the price of tobacco sold in retail stores. Raising prices is one of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco use initiation, decrease consumption, and increase cessation. Learn how point-of-sale pricing policies, including minimum floor prices and bans on price discounts and [More]
2020 sees increase in cigarette sales and tobacco advertising
The Covid-19 pandemic caused businesses across the world to think critically about their spending. While many industries saw major cuts to their budgets in 2020, interestingly, recent data from the Federal Trade Commission report reveals that advertising and promotion of cigarettes increased from $7.62 billion in 2019 to $7.84 billion in 2020. This corresponds to [More]
FDA rejects most flavored e-cigarette products, with critical decisions yet to be made
The FDA recently issued marketing denial orders on thousands of tobacco products, but applications for the biggest e-cigarette brands are still under review. The FDA was ordered by a federal court to take action by September 9th on applications for approval of tobacco products that were not on the market before 2016. Under the pre-market [More]
Healthy POS Webinar Series: Alcohol at the POS – Places, Promotions, and Problems
We hosted a webinar in our "Healthy POS Webinar Series" on Thursday, June 17 at 11am EST. Our guest speaker was Dr. Pamela Trangenstein, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Behavior, UNC-Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health; and a leading alcohol researcher. The advertising and selling of alcohol products at alcohol outlets (e.g., [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: Endgame (Episode 25)
Our latest podcast episode describes the “endgame” for commercial tobacco control toward a tobacco-free future. Learn about possible strategies and examples of places that are already implementing endgame policies. Endgame strategies have been defined as “initiatives designed to change/eliminate permanently the structural, political, and social dynamics that sustain the tobacco epidemic, in order to end [More]
A Moment of victory: FDA moves to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars
The Biden Administration’s announcement yesterday that the FDA will take action to prohibit menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars is a long-awaited victory that will advance health equity and protect health for all, especially for Black Americans and kids. We celebrate the originators of this movement and those who have been persistent in this long fight [More]
New FTC reports show the tobacco industry continues to focus on point of sale marketing
New reports from the Federal Trade Commission show that in 2019 the tobacco industry spent nearly $6.6 billion marketing and promoting cigarettes and smokeless tobacco at the point of sale. Figures from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Reports on Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco Sales and Marketing Expenditures in 2019, released in March 2021, document a [More]
Addressing Health Disparities Through Alcohol Outlet Density
There are many ways the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our daily lives. One of many interesting public health observations is the impact of the pandemic on alcohol consumption. Thanks in part to many bars and restaurants being closed at some point during the last year, off-premise alcohol sales saw a significant spike in spring 2020 [More]
Key Components of a Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program
Limiting the availability of products like tobacco helps protect those most vulnerable and improves the health of all. Here are some key considerations for implementing a comprehensive tobacco control program. Tobacco prevention and control work is a key part of public health. We know that tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease, [More]
Building Healthy Communities Through the Retail Environment
The retail environment provides many of the products that result in unhealthy behaviors such as tobacco use, poor nutrition, and excessive alcohol use. How can we create a retail environment where the healthy choice is the easy choice? Some important strategies involve addressing the availability, promotion and price of tobacco products, foods and beverages and [More]
Upcoming webinar: Equitable enforcement in commercial tobacco control
Counter Tools is partnering with The Center for Black Health & Equity and ChangeLab Solutions to discuss how local and state partners can advance equitable enforcement practices in commercial tobacco control. Join us on Tuesday, February 9, at 2:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT to learn how to apply equitable enforcement strategies to your [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: The Tobacco Control Vaccine Booster (Episode 23)
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Amanda Kong, one of the authors of a recent paper “Boosting the Tobacco Control Vaccine: recognizing the role of the retail environment in addressing tobacco use and disparities.” We discuss how key retail strategies, including addressing product availability, pricing and promotions, advertising and display, the minimum age of [More]
Success Story: Using Local Data to Pass Policies for Tobacco Prevention in Golden Valley, Minnesota
We have a new success story about one of our partners that serves as a great example of a local area passing strong tobacco prevention policies. In 2019, the city of Golden Valley in Hennepin County, Minnesota passed a number of comprehensive tobacco prevention policies, and in June 2020, they passed additional regulations to restrict [More]
Tobacco Retailer Licensing Considerations for Rural Communities
In the United States, rates of tobacco use are higher in rural than urban populations, yet rural communities often lack the tobacco control policy coverage present in more urban areas. While there are several reasons why policy adoption may be more challenging in rural areas, some rural communities have found success with local-level tobacco control [More]
Strategies to Create Healthier Food Retail Environments
Many neighborhoods lack access to traditional supermarkets and other sources of fresh, healthy food, especially at an affordable price. Making healthy choices easier in the retail environment has the potential to make a significant impact on the health of communities. Here are a few recommended strategies to create healthier small food stores. Just how the [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: Equity in Point-of-Sale Tobacco Control (Episode 22)
This episode is all about working towards health equity with point-of-sale tobacco control. We discuss some of the drivers behind inequities in tobacco use and related morbidities and mortality, and how we can use a pro-equity approach to plan, implement, and enforce policies that allow all individuals and all communities a fair and just opportunity [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: On Your Radar – September Spotlight on Flavor Bans (Episode 21)
'On Your Radar' is a new episode format designed to put the most relevant and recent news stories and research on countering tobacco product sales, promotions, and marketing in the retail environment on your radar. This episode spotlights flavor bans. From the West Coast (California) to the Midwest (Edina and Fridley, MN & Chicago, IL), we’ve got [More]
Nebraska passes T21 policy and adds electronic smoking devices to their Clean Indoor Air Act
Counter Tools is thrilled to congratulate Nebraska, one of our partnering states, on two exciting policy victories! LB1064 This bill makes Nebraska the 33rd state to pass statewide T21 legislation. By raising the minimum legal sale age (MLSA) to 21, the state now aligns with the federal law, which helps to reduce consumer and retailer [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: On Your Radar – August POS News (Episodes 19 & 20)
Released as two mini episodes throughout the month, 'On Your Radar' is a new episode format designed to put the most relevant and recent news stories and research on countering tobacco product sales, promotions, and marketing in the retail environment on your radar. Part 1, released August 14th, covers Georgia's Tobacco 21 bill, letters regarding e-cigarettes sent to the FDA [More]
