History and politics of regulating harm: Tobacco, lead, and Bisphenol A

We are increasingly aware of environmental threats to health, including the threats posed by hazardous commercial products. In this panel we trace the history of the debates about the safety of tobacco, lead-based paint products, and Bisphenol A, an important component of plastics. In each of the cases that the panel will explore, industry fought regulation, engaging in a multi-pronged attack on public health and science while launching appeals to the public that touted the products' safety. This panel uses the history of struggle over three very different products to underscore the role of politics in the regulation and amelioration of exposure to hazardous commercial products. The rich histories of how risk was constructed and scientific evidence marshaled by players both inside and outside of industry are central to understanding ongoing debates and legal challenges about who must be held accountable for harms and how these industries can be regulated.