State and local regulation of tobacco products: Lessons learned from NCI's state and community tobacco control research program

Many states and communities are recognizing and investigating new opportunities to regulate tobacco products as they become more determined to eliminate tobacco use and its deadly consequences. The National Cancer Institute has funded state and community tobacco control research for many years, much of which has focused on policy and media interventions. This research has shed light on numerous interventions that have decreased, or have the potential to decrease, tobacco prevalence and consumption. Some of these interventions have been implemented at the state and local level already, and others could be if the proper combination of scientific evidence and political will were utilized to influence policy makers. This research has provided an evidence base for some of the following regulations that may be considered, including: how retailers are licensed, placement of tobacco products in stores, outlets where tobacco products are sold, the impact of price promotions, and placement of tobacco advertising. This presentation will discuss some examples from NCI's state and community research that have demonstrated opportunities where states have successfully regulated tobacco products or their sale, use and distribution to reduce consumption and prevalence rates. It will also identify opportunities that are available but have not been fully utilized as well as gaps in the evidence base that require further research.