Sign Up for Public Health Weekly Newsletter
Josh Berry, ASTHO Director of Chronic Disease Risk Factors, says ASTHO is calling on the White House to implement a rule that would prohibit the sale of menthol-flavored tobacco products; Chrissie Juliano, Executive Director of the Big Cities Health...
Josh Berry, ASTHO Director of Chronic Disease Risk Factors, says ASTHO is calling on the White House to implement a rule that would prohibit the sale of menthol-flavored tobacco products; Chrissie Juliano, Executive Director of the Big Cities Health Coalition, spoke about the need to ban menthol in a recent online news conference; and an ASTHO video dives into the importance of partnering pediatrics with obstetrics and gynecology to improve access to care for parents and children.
ASTHO White House Letter on Menthol
ROBERT JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Thursday, January 25, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
JOSH BERRY:
We think that the Biden administration needs to take these bold and decisive actions around cigarette smoking and tobacco use in general when it has the opportunity to do so.
JOHNSON:
ASTHO calling on the White House to implement the proposed FDA rule that would prohibit the sale of menthol-flavored tobacco products. ASTHO's Josh Berry says the organization makes the case in a letter sent Thursday.
BERRY:
We think that's an important letter on an important topic because we see the health equity and population health impacts in a good way that would come about from menthol-flavored cigarettes getting removed from the market.
JOHNSON:
Berry says the truth is being confused by an industry that will do anything to stop action on the proposed rule.
BERRY:
We know the industry is going to be very litigious and is going to do everything they can to delay and obstruct and block and that's what they're doing right now to even put the question in the Biden administration's mind to consider not implementing this rule that got finalized out of FDA.
JOHNSON:
ASTHO's letter is available online. The link is in the show notes.
Advocates across the country are speaking out about the need to ban menthol. The Big Cities Health Coalition hosted an online news conference recently. Attendees called on President Biden to do what the last two administrations could not. Erika Sward is with the American Lung Association.
ERIKA SWARD:
It's very clear that in order to protect the public health and to save Black lives, menthol cigarettes need to be removed from the marketplace.
JOHNSON:
Big Cities Health Coalition Executive Director Chrissie Juliano says menthol is a threat to the success of the administration's Cancer Moonshot.
CHRISSIE JULIANO:
The Biden administration will not be able to achieve its Cancer Moonshot goals without further restricting menthol. But by doing so, they'll also be able to achieve a Health Equity Moonshot.
JOHNSON:
Minneapolis Health Commissioner Damōn Chaplin says his parents and his stepfather were tobacco users, and all three died of cancer.
DAMŌN CHAPLIN:
I feel as though if we had these restrictions back on my parents with smoking, I know that I would have had more time to spend with them.
JOHNSON:
Columbus, Ohio's Health Commissioner, Dr. Mysheika Roberts says menthol leads to a lifetime of trouble for those who become addicted.
MYSHEIKA ROBERTS:
These flavored tobacco products are the gateway to a lifetime use of tobacco products, which comes with medical issues that need to be addressed, and obviously shorten the life expectancy.
JOHNSON:
You can read the letter the coalition sent to the administration by clicking the link in the show notes.
Also today, providers can help more infants and their parents get the care they need if they can find new ways to work together. O'Keyla Cooper has more.
O'KEYLA COOPER:
The U.S. faces high maternal and infant mortality rates, highlighting the need for improved health care. Experts Wanda Barfield from the CDC and Christopher M. Zahn from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists emphasize the importance of partnering pediatrics with obstetrics and gynecology to improve access to care for parents and children. They discuss how this partnership can be supported at the state-level for fair access. Watch the full video by clicking the link in the show notes.
JOHNSON:
Finally this morning, track policy and legislative action in Congress and across the country when you sign up to receive ASTHO's Legislative Alert emails, you can join the list using the link in the show notes.
Before we go, a reminder also to follow this newscast on your podcast player so you don't miss a single report and connect with ASTHO on social media. We are on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. *That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.
