The information from the study would be used to create reports like the FTC Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Report for 2012, which told us that in 2012, the tobacco industry spent over $8.7 billion - 91% of their total marketing expenditures - advertising and promoting cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products at the point of sale.
Now, tobacco control advocates could have access to this key data and information for e-cigarettes as well. But first, the FTC must obtain clearance for the Office of Management and Budget in order to collect this information for e-cigarette marketers. The FTC is now seeking public comment on the proposed collection of information marketers. Learn more.
More News, Research, and Resources
CounterTobacco.org's latest "News and Research Roundup,"a monthly summary of the latest POS research, reports, and policy news is out. Highlights:
Tobacco 21 News: More cities across the countries have passed laws raising the minimum legal sale age for tobacco products to 21, including:
72% supported requiring e-cigarette packages to label nicotine and harmful ingredients.
71% supported a ban on sales to minors.
71% supported a ban on marketing and advertising to youth.
66% supported requiring an addiction warning on packages.
34% supported banning flavors in e-cigarettes (although 38% had no opinion).
People exposed to information about e-cigarettes, including 57% who were exposed to conflicting information, were less likely to support policies that restrict youth access and require nicotine and harmful ingredient and addiction warnings on labels. The researchers suggest that conflicting information exposure may cause confusion and undermine support for policies regulating e-cigarettes.
62.5% did not know that e-cigarettes were unregulated by the FDA, but 83.5% agreed that they should be regulated for safety and quality. In addition, 86.6% supported warning labels and 87.7% supported e-cigarette having the same minimum legal sale age as other tobacco products.
Support was similarly high among e-cigarette users; however, e-cigarette users were less supportive of restrictions on indoor use (41.2%), flavor bans (44.3%), and advertising restrictions (55.5%).
Central Falls, RI: a new ordinance institutes a licensing fee of $100 for tobacco retailers and focuses on outlawing tobacco marketing aimed at youth. It will ban both flavored products and promotions such as coupons and discounts.
Mahattan Beach, CA: the city council voted to pass a new ordinance that requires tobacco retailers to obtain a license from the city and to locate a minimum of 500 ft from each other or from any school. It also restricts flavored tobacco products (including e-cigs) other than menthol or mint to over-18 establishments.
Cerritos, CA: one new ordinance requires licensing for current e-cigarette vendors and another bans all new electronic cigarette businesses.
Story from the Field: Building Community Awareness
A recent study showed lower support for point of sale tobacco control policies than for other areas of tobacco control. Building community awareness for POS policies that may be unfamiliar to the general U.S. population and building support for POS policies at the local level are ways to increase overall public support for national policy change. The American Lung Association in Minnesota's "Lethal Lure" Campaign developed a tool kit to educate the general public and elected officials about the many tactics the tobacco industry uses to target youth and adults at the point of sale. The tool kit includes 1 page issue briefs on a number of point of sale tobacco control topics. Each one includes:
