Program Proposal

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My discussion about Tobacco

Tobacco Control Policies in the US

Current studies reveal that cigarette smoking causes an estimated 440,000 deaths yearly in the US. Due to the increasing mortality rates, destruction of young generations, and promotion of environmental threat, legislators have passed local, federal, and state antismoking regulations and laws that have proven effective in curbing tobacco use. Such policies include the ACA of 2010, the Family Smoking Prevention & Tobacco Control Act of 2009, and CHIPRA of the same year. The policy is chosen because it enhances the quality of life and life expectancy, improves health status, and reduces the adverse effects of smoking (Levy et al., 2018). It is also selected as its implementation can eliminate preventable diseases associated with high mortality rates in the US and further addresses the high medical costs and out-of-pocket expenditure by residents. The high economic and physical burden of tobacco use by youths prioritizes the policy selection that focuses on health quality and social and the burden of public health concerns.

The agency evaluates, translates, and builds evidence for what functions in public health. It also connects policies to stakeholders, partners, and complementary offices. For instance, the Family Smoking Prevention & Tobacco Control Act has been assessed by the OADPS (Office of the Associate Director for Policy and Strategy). Through the Tobacco Control Act, the FDA has been able to regulate the distribution, marketing, and manufacture of tobacco products to safeguard public health. Recent literature postulates that the act targets stemming youth from tobacco use by restricting the sale of tobacco products to minors (Levy et al., 2021). FDA has also invested in local enforcement and inspection programs to prohibit the access of the products to minors. The Act has also successfully challenged tobacco product advertising by use of musical, social, and celebrity advertising methods to combat the product awareness to the youths and general population.

Additionally, the FDA has planned to support campaigns by the media aimed at educating the youths on dangers associated with tobacco use, initiation prevention, and how to quit the habit. A request on the harmful components in the products has been enquired about (Krist et al., 2021). Literature has cited that the strategies by the Act have been relevant, practical, and persuasive, have consolidated practice and knowledge, and positively impacted change in individuals smoking behaviors. Current documentation also outlines that the activities by the FDA & Tobacco control act that include smoking cessation campaigns and education on adverse smoking effects have been associated with a significant decline in youth and adult smoking and hence reduced mortality rates.

Other strategies developed to curb tobacco use included the creation of smoke-free air laws, graphic warnings on health, broad marketing prohibitions, and the raising of tobacco products. Smoke-free laws enable people to quit smoking, reducing the risk of developing the disease. Research on supply-focused policies continues to be full of measures to address tobacco use among individuals (Gostin et al., 2020). Conclusively, the restrictive tobacco acts protect public health by executing antismoking campaigns, banning sales to minors, minimizing product advertising, FDA strategies, creating smoke-free laws, and conducting educational programs among youth on dangers associated with the habit and need for behavior change.

In summary, the federal, state, and local levels played critical roles in protecting public health by formulating policies and laws addressing issues of public health concern like tobacco use (Gostin et al., 2020). The law agencies have balanced maintaining their principles, ensuring participation, efficacy, and transparency in addressing public health problems. Law agencies at the local level continue to conduct research, develop policies, enforce laws and develop outreach reach programs to curb health issues of public concern, such as smoking.

References

Gostin, L. O., Sirleaf, M. V., & Friedman, E. A. (2020). Global health law: legal foundations for social justice in public health.  Foundations of Global Health & Human Rights (Lawrence O. Gostin & Benjamin Mason Meier eds., 2020), U of Maryland Legal Studies Research Paper, (2020-18).

Krist, A. H., Davidson, K. W., Mangione, C. M., Barry, M. J., Cabana, M., Caughey, A. B., ... & US Preventive Services Task Force. (2021). Interventions for tobacco smoking cessation in adults, including pregnant persons: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.  Jama,  325(3), 265-279.

Levy, D. T., Tam, J., Kuo, C., Fong, G. T., & Chaloupka, F. (2018). Research full report: the impact of implementing tobacco control policies: the 2017 tobacco control policy scorecard.  Journal of Public Health Management and Practice,  24(5), 448.