Reflecting on Indigenous Peoples’ Day and how to become a better ally
This week marked Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which recognizes Native Americans as the first inhabitants of the Americas. In this tumultuous year as we have renewed our focus on inequities and health disparities, we must be sure to reflect and learn about the experiences of Native Americans and [More]
Trust for America’s Health releases recommendations to address obesity crisis
Access to healthy food or safe places to be active is inconsistent across communities and research shows that socioeconomic factors including poverty and race/ethnicity contribute to an increased rate of obesity. The State of Obesity 2020 report provides evidence-based policy recommendations for addressing the obesity crisis using [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 [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 [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 [More]
Healthy POS Webinar Series: Securing Healthy Food Access through Targeted Programming
Our recent quarterly webinar in Counter Tools' Healthy POS series focused on healthy food and produce prescriptions. Public health advocates are increasingly focused on interventions that address social drivers of health. With produce prescriptions, healthcare providers address food security in the healthcare setting by connecting their patients [More]
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 long targeted Black communities and youth with flavored products. Prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products may [More]
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 a common strategy for increasing tobacco prices, minimum floor price laws are another promising non-tax strategy with [More]
Counter Tools supports the Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act
Counter Tools envisions a nation where healthy living is equitable across communities and every person has access to healthful choices. We recognize the enormous impact of food access and food security on health and well-being. As our nation struggles amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of strengthening [More]
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 policy interventions or other point of sale strategies for tobacco prevention and control, it’s helpful to understand [More]
Tobacco retailer density in 30 U.S. cities – ASPIRE and Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids share new findings
New research on tobacco retailer density finds that across 30 major US cities, 63% of public schools are located within 1,000 feet of a tobacco retailer. The data show there is also a high density of tobacco retailers in low-income neighborhoods. Mapping tobacco retailers in our communities [More]
Mental health risks & resources for BIPOC during COVID-19
Many adults are experiencing high levels of stress during the pandemic, affecting their overall mental health and wellbeing. Inequities in the social determinants of health may further contribute to the effect on racial and ethnic minority groups. Here are a few resources for managing our emotional and [More]
The Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020
Social and economic conditions such as those in housing, employment, food security, and education have a major influence on individual and community health. These conditions – often referred to as the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) – are receiving increased attention from insurance companies, hospitals, healthcare systems, [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: Heated Tobacco Products (Episode 18)
This episode is designed to answer all your questions about heated tobacco products, or as the industry refers to them, “heat-not-burn” products. This episode covers their design and safety, assesses their marketing and current regulation, examines a bit of the newer research and literature on the products, [More]
We’re excited to partner with Oregon!
We are excited to begin a new partnership with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA)! Counter Tools will be providing training and technical assistance for tobacco prevention programs to strengthen their capacity to advance evidence-based tobacco prevention policy goals. We will work with community program staff from local [More]
FDA authorizes ‘modified risk’ marketing for IQOS system
With the FDA’s recent authorization, Philip Morris can now market the IQOS system as ‘modified risk tobacco products’. We need to closely monitor how these products are being marketed and sold to appeal to youth and Black and Brown communities. On July 7, 2020, the FDA authorized [More]
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 unprotected reveals clear health inequities and points to a need for smoke-free protections for all as a [More]
How Public Health Efforts Lead to Resilience and Stronger Communities
The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of smart public health strategies to improve health outcomes. Here are some real-world examples of public health in action and recommendations for how to move forward so that everyone is afforded an opportunity to live positive, healthy, and safe lives. [More]
Letter to Support CDC’s Mission
Our organizations have been directly involved in the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) – from serving on the frontlines, to working with policymakers to make evidence-based decisions, and to collecting and sharing data. We are deeply concerned about increasing reports of resistance to evidence-based public health messages [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: ‘Authentic Voices’ – An Interview with Shaun Pryor (Episode 17)
This episode is the first in what we hope will be a new series called, 'Authentic Voices', where we speak with individuals in communities across the US to hear how their lived experiences and interactions in the retail environment impacted their journey with tobacco. In this episode, [More]
