CNN: Nearly half of adult cancer deaths in the US could be prevented by making lifestyle changes, study finds

A new American Cancer Society study shows smoking remains the leading risk factor for preventable cancer, causing about 1 in 5 cancer cases and nearly 1 in 3 cancer deaths in the U.S.
The evidence is clear that we can’t win the fight against cancer without winning the fight against tobacco. It’s critical that we move forward with effective strategies to reduce smoking. To read the full article, click here.

Bloomberg: Zyn Imitators Rush in as Online Sales Halt Worsens US Shortage

When the DC Attorney General subpoenaed Zyn’s parent company, Philip Morris, they halted online sales. That’s led to a vacuum in the market, being filled by others trying to capitalize on nicotine addiction. To read the full article, click here.

Truth Initiative: Zyn rewards program follows Big Tobacco’s marketing playbook

You can’t call Zyn a treatment option and then offer rewards like gift cards and tablets. The companies that make these products are in it for profit at your expense. More from our partners at Truth Initiative.

Science for sale: Philip Morris’s web of payments to fund tobacco research

Tobacco companies will do whatever it takes to tip the scales in their favor. This report from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism shows how the tobacco industry uses its influence to try and influence research. This isn’t the first time the industry has used this sort of tactic, like when JUUL purchased an entire issue of a medical journal to share its “data.”

FDA and CBP Seize More Than $1M Worth of Unauthorized E-Cigarettes

FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are announcing the seizure of 53,700 unauthorized e-cigarette products valued at more than $1.08 million. While FDA and CBP worked together to seize the shipment at the Chicago port of entry, the unauthorized products were intended for a wholesaler based in Mississippi. To read the full release, click here.

NBC News: Philip Morris suspends nationwide sales on Zyn.com after D.C. subpoena

The company said that Swedish Match North America had received a subpoena from D.C.’s attorney general requesting information about its compliance with D.C.’s 2022 ban on the sale of all flavored tobacco. In October 2022, D.C. banned the sale of all flavored tobacco, including flavored synthetic nicotine products. To read the full article, click here.

North Dakota Media Notices TFND and Partners Quit Week Efforts

There’s been a significant amount of media coverage surrounding Quit Week from TFND and our partners. We are so thrilled with the attention everyone is getting for this worthy cause! Below is a growing list of the media coverage received so far:

Quit Week set for June 9-15

It’s Quitting Time in North Dakota, a statewide campaign aimed at increasing awareness about the risks associated with commercial tobacco and alternative nicotine products while also urging North Dakotans to commit to quitting. This marks the fifth year that Tobacco Free North Dakota and various tobacco prevention and control partners in the state have collaborated on this initiative.

Neil Charvat, Tobacco Prevention and Control Director, North Dakota Health and Human Services, emphasizes the importance of seeking assistance in developing a personalized quit plan, whether through healthcare providers, pharmacists, local public health units, or NDQuits. Over a three-year period, participants in NDQuits who were exclusive e-cigarette users had a 30-day quit rate of 40%.

Creating a plan helps individuals quit commercial tobacco or alternative nicotine products by preparing for potential relapses and identifying triggers to prevent them.

Despite being the leading cause of preventable deaths in North Dakota and the United States, many North Dakotans persist in using tobacco and e-cigarettes. Use of these products poses severe health risks, including various cancers, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses such as COPD.

Statistics from the North Dakota Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System reveal that 15% of North Dakota adults smoke cigarettes, with 1,000 deaths annually attributed to tobacco use. North Dakotans are urged to prioritize their health and well-being by breaking free from dependence on commercial tobacco and alternative nicotine products.

“The partnership displayed during Quit Week signifies our collective commitment to empowering individuals to break free from the grip of commercial tobacco and nicotine products. By joining forces, we aim to provide comprehensive support and resources to those seeking to end their dependence, fostering healthier communities and a better North Dakota,” explains Andrew Horn, Coalition Program Director for Tobacco Free North Dakota.

For those seeking assistance in quitting cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes, or vaping products, resources and information are available at NDQuits or by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

Columbus and other Ohio cities sue to block ban on their tobacco regulations

Some states like California or Massachusetts are indicators for the future of tobacco policy in the United States. Others like Ohio are indicators of key battlegrounds in order to make progress.
Ohio’s legislature passed a law banning local jurisdictions from enacting its own regulations on tobacco products. Those cities are now suing to block the new law.

HEALTH GROUPS FILE SECOND LAWSUIT AGAINST THE US FDA

This isn’t the first time litigation has been needed to implement a needed rule or regulation. It is disappointing that it has gotten to this point. The FDA can end this by simply implementing the rule it has spent years finalizing.

The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC), Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), and the National Medical Association (NMA), represented by Christopher Leung of Leung Law PLLC, have filed a second lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the agency’s inaction on issuing a final rule banning menthol cigarettes. This lawsuit comes more than seven months after the FDA’s initial date for finalizing the new rule and follows the FDA’s 15-year delay in equitable policymaking. You can read the full release here.