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Spring 2009 Vol. 1 No. 3
Topic of the Quarter: New Tobacco Products
Tobacco is the nation's leading cause of preventable death. An estimated 438,000 people in the United States die prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke annually—about 1 in 5 deaths each year. In the United States, costs associated with cigarette smoking are $193 billion annually, with more than $96 billion in health care expenditures and $97 billion in lost productivity, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). State governments pay for a significant portion of these costs through Medicaid, state employee health care costs and other programs.
Although the percentage of American adults who smoke has declined in recent years, new tobacco products may attract new smokers or provide current smokers with what they believe is a safer product.
These new tobacco products may differ from traditional cigarettes in several ways, such as an improved tobacco curing process, heating the tobacco at a lower temperature instead of burning it, and using genetically modified tobacco. These new products often make health claims. One brand advertises it has "reduced carcinogens," compared to traditional cigarettes. Another brand's manufacturer claims its cigarettes produce "less risk" of certain smoking-related diseases. The combination of these new products and the claims that they are less risky than traditional cigarettes potentially can create confusion for the general public about the health risks of cigarettes. It also can lead current smokers who were considering quitting to switch to a supposedly "less harmful" brand instead.
It is important that consumers have accurate information about the health risks of tobacco products so they can make informed decisions about their use and exposure to tobacco products. Questions remain about whether the claimed reduction in risk of exposure to carcinogens from the new products translates into a reduced disease risk. Consumers need scientifically accurate information about the new products so they can make more informed decisions about their risks and tobacco's role in their lives.
Resources on Tobacco
CDC, Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids, American Lung Association. American Heart Association, Philip Morris USA: Smoking and Health Issues
 Click Here to Listen! Podcast on Disparities in Cardiovascular Health
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Upcoming Events and NCSL Resources
Healthy Foods, Healthy Bodies and Healthy Budgets NCSL Webcast
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
12:00 noon-1:30pm EDT/11am-12:30pm CDT/10am-11:30am MDT/9am-10:30am PDT
How can state policies effectively build healthy communities while promoting a thriving economy? This webcast will provide listeners with a menu of policy options that make healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity available in underserved communities, while promoting economic development.
Free registration here.
Legislative Summit
Join us in Philadelphia July 20-24 for the 2009 NCSL Legislative Summit. The Summit brings together state lawmakers, legislative staff and national policy experts from across the country who converge to share ideas, best practices and strategies. The meeting offers more than 150 informative sessions with nationally renowned speakers. We look forward to seeing you in Philadelphia.
Weight of the Nation, July 27-29, 2009, Washington, D.C. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity presents its inaugural conference on obesity prevention and control, designed to highlight successful policy and environmental strategies.
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In the News
Report Shows Smoke-Free Ordinances May Lead to Reduced Hospitalizations
A recent study in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) examined the effects of a municipal smoke-free ordinance in Pueblo, Colorado. The study found that the rate of hospitalizations due to acute myocardial infarction decreased by 27 percent since the smoke-free ordinance was implemented. The report suggests that smoke-free ordinances reduce cardiovascular-related hospitalizations over time.
Report Suggests Young Adults Less Healthy Today
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics finds that young adults are less healthy today than they were in the 1990s, USA Today reports. Based on data collected from a variety of health resources, the annual report this year features a special section dedicated to the 50 million young adults between the ages of 18 and 29.
According to a new study by the CDC, arthritis may create an additional barrier to using physical activity to help people manage their heart disease. The study in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) found that arthritis is common among those who have heart disease. Approximately 57 percent of adults with heart disease have arthritis. In the study, adults with both heart disease and arthritis (29 percent) are significantly more likely to be physically inactive than adults with heart disease alone (21 percent), arthritis alone (18 percent), or neither condition (11 percent). The prevalence of physical inactivity for adults with both heart disease and arthritis in the study varied substantially from state to state, ranging from 20.5 percent to 50.3 percent. According to the authors, engaging in regular physical activity can help reduce arthritis pain and improve joint function, and will thus help to better manage both arthritis and heart disease.
State Policies Can Help Increase Opportunities for Physical Activity, Prevent Childhood Obesity within Communities
State and local policies, if accompanied by adequate funding, can help build healthy schools and communities, according to research published recently in a special issue of the Journal of Public Health Policy. But without such directives and funds, obstacles in too many communities discourage outdoor play and exercise, contributing to rising rates of obesity. For this study, key-informant interviews were conducted with 16 legislators and staff from 11 states in 2005 and 2006 to examine qualitative factors that enable and impede state-level childhood obesity prevention legislation.
Public Health Project Partner News
NCSL collaborates with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other national organizations—including the National Governors Association, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and the Society for Public Health Education—for this public health project. Recent resources available from partner organizations on public health topics include the following:
Public Health Law 101
CDC’s Public Health Law Program has developed a new, basic course on public health law as a learning resource for public health practitioners, policymakers, legislative staff with an interest in public health law, students and others. The course of nine slide lecture units includes: Key Concepts of U.S. Law in Public Health Practice; Ethics and the Law; Administrative Law; Role of the Legal Counsel; Law of Public Health Surveillance, Investigations and Emergencies; Privacy and Confidentiality; Infectious Diseases; Environmental Public Health, Occupational Health and Injuries; and Chronic Diseases and Birth Defects. The link above allows you to learn more about the course, download the units, and register for updates.
The CDC has launched a new Healthy Communities Program website to provide information about the community investments CDC makes to turn the tide in chronic disease prevention. It also provides access to a set of tools for community action used nationwide, including information about CDC training for community action teams. CDC's Healthy Communities Program is engaging communities and mobilizing national networks to focus on chronic disease prevention.
SOPHE Announces First State Health Policy Institute Participants
The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) has announced the recipients of 20 scholarships awarded to members to participate in the first SOPHE State Health Policy Institute. Participants will receive intensive training and education on evidence-based strategies to address chronic diseases, help control health care costs, and become state health pomotion policy experts. Upon completing their training, they will begin developing and implementing plans to address one or two major chronic disease problems by joining with state/local coalitions and community members. This initiative is part of an effort to make more evidence-based information about chronic diseases available to policymakers and other key opinion leaders.
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