Category Archive

A new study published online this morning in the journal Pediatrics purports to show that flavored e-cigarettes serve as a gateway to youth smoking by increasing nonsmoking youths’ intentions to smoke and decreasing smoking youths’ intentions to quit.The study reports results from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey. In a cross-sectional analysis, the investigators examined the relationship between flavored e-cigarette …

In an article published Friday in the journal Tobacco Control, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicated that electronic cigarettes are simply another form of “tobacco use.” The article noted that 68% of electronic cigarette users vape flavored e-liquids and concluded that: “It is important for …

Here is the second part of a two-part series in which Brent Stafford interviews me about the vaping controversy. Brent did a fantastic job of covering all of the key issues in the debate, and I tried to explain the scientific reasoning behind my position on the major points of contention.

Here is the first part of a two-part series in which Brent Stafford interviews me about the vaping controversy. Brent did a fantastic job of covering all of the key issues in the debate, and I tried to explain the scientific reasoning behind my position on the major points of contention.

This coming Tuesday, the Massachusetts Health Council will be hosting its annual “Dining with the Stars” awards gala. One organization that should not be getting any public health awards is the Massachusetts Health Council itself. While the Council’s mission is to promote “prevention and wellness,” it is actually helping the soda industry to market the very products which are contributing …

Earlier this week, Dan Aaron and I published an article revealing that the major soda companies – Coca-Cola and PepsiCo – are using corporate sponsorship of medical and health organizations as a strategy to improve their public image and head off potential negative publicity and public policies that might reduce soda consumption. Our article focused on the sponsorship of organizations. …

It appears that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is preparing to issue a rule that would prohibit e-cigarette companies from suggesting that their products may be useful for smoking cessation. The proposed rule, as reported by The Hill, would classify as a drug/device any e-cigarette or vaping product that makes any claims related to quitting smoking.According to the article: …

Earlier this week, eight national anti-tobacco groups, headlined by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, filed a lawsuit against the FDA in an attempt to force the agency to re-issue a requirement for graphic warning labels on cigarette packs.As the lawsuit explains, here are the key facts:1. “The Tobacco Control Act became law on June 22, 2009. Section 201 required the …

For several years, the FDA has been nagging us about how important it is that the agency claim jurisdiction over electronic cigarettes because of their safety hazards. Now that the FDA has that jurisdiction, it is the public health agency that is ultimately responsible for ensuring the safety of electronic cigarettes. And so far, it is doing a terrible job.This …

In a shocking and ironic development, a group of medical school researchers has attacked efforts to promote smoking cessation among adult smokers. Previously, I have only seen such an inappropriate attack coming from the tobacco companies. That in 2016, such an attack is coming from people in medicine, and not from Big Tobacco, is a surprising and troubling irony.In this …