CTFA Holds Annual Conference

The Coalition for a Tobacco Free Arkansas (CTFA) held its 11th annual Striking Out Tobacco in Arkansas Conference at the Riverfront Wyndham in North Little Rock September 12th.  Attended by advocates from around the state, the conference featured such prominent speakers as Dr. Valerie Yerger from the University of California, San Francisco(UCSF) and the noted tobacco industry whistle blower, Dr Victor DeNoble.

Dr. Yerger, an Associate Professor of Health Policy at UCSF, is probably best known for her involvement w the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library. But for this presentation she donned her credentials as a licensed naturopathic doctor to talk about menthol in tobacco. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, that gave the FDA limited authority over tobacco, banned fruit and candy flavors in cigarettes but neglected menthol.  Yerger noted that menthol’s medicinal application was not merely a benign flavoring.  As a natural anesthetic it not only masks the harshness of tobacco smoke but also enhances drug delivery. This encourages addiction and makes cessation more difficult.  She pointed out the importance of seeing that 80% of African Americans, who smoke, smoke menthol. Challenging tobacco, challenging menthol in tobacco, is a matter of social justice.

  

Ritney Castine, representing the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, gave a lively overview of modern tobacco control and the value of youth involvement in policy change.  Noting that many only wanted young people to be cute, he emphasized,  “Cute isn’t effective.” Castine added that young people are essential to any great change but could only be that as fully vetted participants.

A knowledgable review and refutations of the myths surrounding of the Affordable Care Act was provided by consumer assistance specialist from the Arkansas Insurance Department, Sandra Cook.

Karin Rudolph, with the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, presented a well scripted party line account of the FDA’s  limited authority over cigarettes under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. This law, passed in 2009, was supported by many major public health groups, and tobacco giant Phillip Morris.

The day culminated with former Phillip Morris scientist, Dr. Victor DeNoble.  Dr. DeNoble recounted animal research proving that, contrary to industry claims, nicotine was a very addictive substance. He was kept silent for a decade by a confidentiality agreement with Phillip Morris. It was only his 1994 testimony before Congress that allowed him to speak out.  Echoing previous remarks and questions about the burgeoning E-cigarette market he noted that the device was not  a safe alternative to smoking but designed to enable continued addiction.

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