PACT Notes

February 2nd, 2018

Cigarette Brand Preference and Pro-Tobacco Advertising Among Middle and High School Students – United States, 2012-2016
Nearly all adult smokers first try cigarettes before age 18 years, and adolescents can show symptoms of nicotine dependence within days to weeks of the onset of occasional cigarette smoking. Having a usual cigarette brand among adolescent smokers could reflect exposure and receptivity to pro-tobacco advertising and tobacco product appeal. During 2012-2016, the top three brands usually smoked by U.S. middle and high school current cigarette smokers were Marlboro, Newport, and Camel; these brands also were the top three favorite cigarette ads reported by current cigarette smokers in middle and high school in 2012. Reducing youth-oriented tobacco marketing, as part of a comprehensive approach in concert with other evidence-based strategies could help reduce the acceptability, affordability, and use of tobacco products among youth.
To learn more about tobacco industry marketing click here.

FDA Advisors Say Evidence Doesn’t Back Philip Morris’ Claim

New Jersey Could Become the First State to Ban the Sale of Menthol Cigarettes

PACT Scholarship

Upcoming Asthma Educator Institute

PACT Notes

PACT Notes – December 21, 2018

PACT Notes – December 21, 2018

A new study found that increases in adolescent vaping from 2017 to 2018 were the largest ever recorded in the past 43 years for any adolescent substance use outcome in the U.S.

In just one year e-cigarette use among youth has skyrocketed, increasing by:
90% among 12th graders
96% among 10th graders
74% among 8th graders

PACT Notes – December 14, 2018

PACT Notes – December 14, 2018

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the landmark 1998 legal settlement between the states and the tobacco companies, which required the companies to pay more than $200 billion over time as compensation for tobacco-related health care costs.

The report challenges states to do more to fight tobacco use – the nation’s No. 1 preventable cause of death – and to confront the growing epidemic of youth e-cigarette use in America. In Pennsylvania, 8.7 percent of high school students smoke cigarettes, while 11.3 percent use e-cigarettes. Tobacco use claims 22,000 Pennsylvania lives and costs the state $6.3 billion in health care bills annually.

PACT Notes – December 7, 2018

PACT Notes – December 7, 2018

This week Senator Mario Scavello (PA-40) released a co-sponsorship memo for Tobacco 21. He is actively looking for support in the Senate and plans to introduce legislation in the session starting in the new year. While PACT is still advising that advocates wait until the new year to start their legislative visits, if you have any connections with Senators you think might be interested in support please reach out to PACT and we are happy to connect them with Senator Scavello’s Office.