Lessons from tobacco control for cannabis policy
The majority of Americans live in a state where cannabis is legal and marijuana has been decriminalized, while a growing number of states have legalized recreational marijuana. Here are a [...]
Tobacco Tax Equity Act Letter of Support
Dear Senator Durbin and Senator Wyden: We are writing to express our strong support for S. 1314, the Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021, which would increase the federal excise [...]
Webinar with GHEA on Cancer, Obesity and Place
GHEA partnered with Counter Tools to present “Cancer, Obesity and Place” on Friday, June 25, from 1-2 pm EDT. Research has clearly shown that obesity is a risk factor for [...]
Is alcohol essential? Lessons from Covid-19 on how policy impacts access
Many states deemed liquor stores "essential" businesses during the pandemic lockdowns and were allowed to remain open. Other changes such as to-go alcoholic beverages and curbside pick-up helped contribute to [...]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: Endgame
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: Equitable Enforcement in Commercial Tobacco Control Policy
In this episode, we talk with Natasha Phelps, a Lead Senior Staff Attorney at the Public Health Law Center, about the recent statement on “Decriminalizing Commercial Tobacco: Addressing Systemic Racism [...]
Geographic Surveillance Learning Collaborative 2020 – Highlights from Tobacco Control Programs
The Geographic Health Equity Alliance (GHEA) and Counter Tools facilitated the inaugural Geographic Surveillance Learning Collaborative for National Tobacco Control Programs and National Comprehensive Cancer Control from May to September 2020. In order to participate, interested states were [...]
Letter to FDA on Menthol Cigarettes and other Flavored Tobacco Products
The undersigned public health, medical, education and community organizations write to urge prompt action by the Food and Drug Administration to prohibit menthol cigarettes and other non-tobacco flavored tobacco products, [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
UNC and PHLC release Policy Playbook For E-cigarettes
University of North Carolina's Vaping Prevention Resource and Public Health Law Center recently released the Policy Playbook for E-cigarettes. The Playbook provides state and local stakeholders with a framework of [...]
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. [...]
Letter to FDA on Prohibiting Menthol Cigarettes
The undersigned public health and medical organizations write to urge the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant the pending Citizen Petition referenced above and commence the requested rulemaking to [...]
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. [...]
California passes ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products
We’re excited by the news that California’s State Assembly recently passed a bill prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. We know that the tobacco industry has [...]
Reducing Tobacco Disparities with Minimum Floor Price Laws
According to the Surgeon General, raising the price of tobacco products is one of the most effective strategies for reducing initiation, decreasing consumption and increasing cessation. While excise taxes are [...]
Highlights from the Convenience Store News 2020 Tobacco Report
Despite public health’s success in tobacco policy over the recent years, we know tobacco remains a top source of revenue for the convenience store industry. In order to identify appropriate [...]
Secondhand Smoke Exposure: A Social Justice Issue
Many states and localities have adopted comprehensive smoke-free laws. However, there are over 58 million Americans still exposed to secondhand smoke today. A closer look at which communities are left [...]