Webinar with CADCA – Research Into Action: Why Point of Sale Matters
We're joining CADCA's Research Into Action webinar series this week on Why Point of Sale Matters. Elizabeth Gerndt, Project Director at Counter Tools, will provide evidence on how the retail environment and point of sale play a huge role in the health of our communities, looking specifically [More]
Success Story: Assessing 100% of Tobacco Retailers – Virginia’s Ground Truthing Project
We're starting a new series on our blog to share Success Stories. Our partners have achieved great successes in public health. We recognize their hard work and leadership in creating healthier communities. We hope these stories inspire your work around place-based public health. Our first success story [More]
A look at COVID-19 as a time to quit smoking
As new data is continually being published about COVID-19 risk factors, a renewed call for quitting smoking has been sounded. With all of the news and reports on COVID-19, we find ourselves thinking about our work with our partners on healthy living, and more specifically our work [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: The Tobacco Industry’s Targeting of Low SES Communities (Episode 14)
The tobacco industry spends over $9 billion dollars each year marketing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the United States. This episode dives into the ways in which the industry allocates this exorbitant amount of money to target communities of low socioeconomic status, and examines how the industry’s [More]
We’re excited to work with California!
We’re excited to announce a new partnership with California’s Department of Justice. We’ll be working with them to integrate licensing and enforcement data from multiple agencies as part of their ongoing efforts to ensure tobacco control in the retail environment. Our work will enable state and local [More]
New infographics – Compare your state’s FDA violation rates year over year
Here are infographic maps showing FDA state violation rates of tobacco product sales to minors including e-cig sales, looking at FY2019 compared to FY2018. We're pleased to announce that we have updated the infographics we shared at NCTOH last fall! The orange themed maps display the “FDA [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: A Look at the Federal Flavor Ban & Tobacco 21 (Episode 13)
Over the past few months, we’ve seen a lot of changes to the regulatory environment surrounding tobacco products. This episode highlights the new federal flavor ban and Tobacco 21 law, as well as what some states and local jurisdictions have done to advance tobacco control and what [More]
Healthy POS Webinar Series: Flavored Tobacco Policies and Evaluation – A Massachusetts Case Study
The visibility and accessibility of flavored tobacco products can lead to increased tobacco use initiation and continued use because of their appeal, especially among youth. The state of Massachusetts has set an example for implementing flavored tobacco product sales restrictions at the state and local-level to ameliorate [More]
We’re hiring a Software Implementation Project Manager!
Counter Tools invites applications for a Software Implementation Project Manager starting Spring 2020. This is a contract position. Software Implementation Project Manager Job Duties: Completes software implementation projects by coordinating Counter Tools resources, subcontracted resources, and Client resources to achieve a client accepted software implementation within budget [More]
We’re hiring a Data Analyst!
Counter Tools invites applications for a Data Analyst starting February 2020. Applications are due by February 28, 2020. Counter Tools seeks a part-time individual to support data management, data analysis and GIS work. The Data scientist provides timely and high quality data management and analysis for Counter [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: An interview with Counter Tools Executive Director Maria Julian (Episode 12)
In this episode, we interviewed Counter Tools' new Executive Director, Maria Julian. Learn where Counter Tools and CounterTobacco.org are headed, and what we should be on the lookout for in tobacco control this upcoming year.
FDA finally issues official guidance on new federal flavor ban
Earlier this month the FDA finally released a guidance document detailing enforcement priorities of the new federal flavor ban. The administration originally promised to ban all flavored tobacco products but the final result is a parsed down version. The new guidance document prohibits retailers from selling all [More]
The legal age of sale for tobacco is now 21 – but is it enough?
The minimum age for tobacco sales has been raised federally from 18 to 21. How will the new law be implemented and enforced effectively and equitably? On December 20, 2019, federal legislation was signed into law raising the minimum legal sales age for tobacco from 18 to [More]
Coalition Comments on PMTA Proposed Rule
The proposed rule is designed to inform tobacco product manufacturers and the public about requirements for submission of Premarket Tobacco Product Applications (“PMTAs”), related recordkeeping requirements, requirements for post-market information gathering and reporting, and the process FDA will use in the evaluation of PMTAs. SUMMARY OF MAJOR [More]
A Study With Truth Initiative Shows That Youth Are Being Targeted With Tobacco Marketing
We partnered with Truth Initiative in 2018 to study tobacco marketing in two cities in the Tobacco Nation. A new form called fSTARS was developed to collect data focusing on menthol and other flavored tobacco products. The data showed that tobacco prices were cheaper in neighborhoods that [More]
Counter Tobacco Podcast: Hookah at the Point of Sale (Episode 11)
In this episode, we take a closer look at hookah. Learn about trends in hookah tobacco use, hookah industry marketing and promotional strategies at the point of sale and point of consumption, examples of current state and local-level regulations, and point-of-sale policy options. Learn more about hookah [More]
Joint Statement – Remove Flavored E-Cigarettes from the Market
ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT’S SEPTEMBER DECISION TO REMOVE FLAVORED E-CIGARETTES FROM THE MARKET Now is the time to act and protect the health of our children November 18, 2019 – We write to express our strong, unified support for President Trump’s proposal, made on September 11, 2019, [More]
Letter to First Lady Melania Trump on Mint and Menthol
Dear Mrs. Trump: We want to express our sincere appreciation for the leadership you have provided in highlighting the youth e-cigarette epidemic, meeting with youth who have been impacted by this crisis and championing the bold action to reverse the epidemic that was announced by the Administration [More]
Announcing Our New Executive Director, Maria Julian
The Counter Tools board of directors is pleased to announce that Maria Julian has accepted the position of executive director to begin November 11, 2019. Maria joins Counter Tools with a background in public health leadership and nonprofit management. Prior to joining the Counter Tools team in [More]
Counter Tools’ partner Massachusetts shows flavor bans can cut youth tobacco use
Counter Tools' partner Massachusetts has had recent successes passing policies that restrict flavored tobacco to adult-only establishments. In 2016 the cities of Boston and Lowell both passed flavor policies and evaluations of the policies showed significant decline in youth access to flavored tobacco products. Lowell's study also [More]
