Thinking 'bout THR Newsletter
September 20-24, 2024
It is time for the all-things nicotine peace talks!
Can anyone explain to me what is being accomplished in the endless battle in the nicotine space?
I would give anything to see the focus put back on saving lives. We can speed up that process if we work together to transform the industry some loath so much instead of wasting time and resources trying to destroy an industry that shows no signs of going away.
Since seeing who is banned from the Annual Tobacco and Industry Documents Workshop and the vow a person registering must make, I have had a hefty rant composed in my head. The end of the registration form says:
“I am not currently and have never worked for a tobacco company. I will not serve as an expert witness, consultant, or in any capacity for a tobacco company. I will not disclose workshop learnings or share materials with anyone tied to the tobacco industry
[check box] I swear to these claims”
Instead of ranting about all the reasons I feel this doesn't seem right, I've included the quote from Haidt’s book in the graphic above for each of us to dwell on.
I think looking for the good in people is essential. It is much more productive than looking for reasons to hate them. Something is to be said about the old cliche: people live up to what we expect of them. The power of believing in others can motivate people to do great things.
Isn’t it time to stop looking for enemies and start figuring out ways to make people our allies to put an end to the death and disease caused by smoking?
Until next time….
PS: Updates: 2024 and 2025 Opportunities, 2025 Events
Millions of Americans want to quit smoking. Critics say drugmakers and the FDA are failing them. “The smoking-cessation drugs on the market don’t work well for the majority of people, and they come with side effects and reputations that keep some smokers from ever trying them. Despite this, there hasn’t been a new class of drug approved for the condition in nearly two decades.”
Voices of Harm Reduction Pt 2: Lindsey Stroud. “So I started doing the research on vaping and found a consumer driven revolution. And it was fascinating to see shop owners and small businesses who were just trying to help people quit smoking being forced to deal with the wrath of the American government.”
Global Experts to Address Smoking Cessation and Harm Reduction Initiatives During UN General Assembly Week. “The one-day event brings together leaders from public health, policy, science, technology, and regulatory sectors to accelerate tobacco control and harm reduction strategies.” (Press release)
Lead next-generation innovation with the consumer, not the regulator, CRO advises. “Zdinak called for an independent third-party advocacy group that could step in to bridge this gap, “because there is going to be no benefit to public health if we do not authorise reduced harm products onto the market quickly. And the only way that’s going to get done is if people talk to each other”.
Youth Tobacco and Vaping Use Has Declined in Wisconsin. “Addressing the reasons behind youth vaping is crucial for policymakers. The 2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey indicated that 43.4% of e-cigarette users cited anxiety, stress, or depression as their primary reason for vaping—which was the most common reason for using e-cigarettes. The 2023 YRBS showed that 35% of Wisconsin high school students felt so sad or hopeless that they ceased their usual activities, while 51.6% reported having “significant problems with feeling very anxious, nervous, tense, scared, or like something bad was going to happen.”
Beyond the Pack - The Role of Education and Awareness in Reducing Tobacco Harm in Africa. “While smoking rates are declining in other parts of the world, data shows that the African region and other Low-Income Countries are seeing a rise in new smokers, particularly among the young population.”
Teen Vape Fad Sputtering Despite Government’s Best Efforts. “So the government, ever-hostile toward the industry and the great promise of the e-cigarette to alter the health of a nation, decided to turn the industry into great villains using an old trick. A massive ad campaign based on fear and falsehoods…Meanwhile, vaping companies can’t defend themselves nor set the record straight about their products in the United States…Retailers can’t put up signs in their stores quoting FDA’s statements.”
What Trump Gets Right About a Key Harm Reduction Tool. “More importantly, tobacco harm reduction is smart, lifesaving public policy that affects some of the most vulnerable populations in the U.S.”
Call for submissions: NZ Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2). The submission deadline is September 27, 2024.
The events listed below focus on nicotine. Some do not support reduced-risk products. Some have covered nicotine in the past but may not cover that topic every year.
Sep 25, 2024 - World Lung Day
Sep 27, 2024, Chicago, IL, US, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM CT (In-person, no cost) - NORC and the University of Chicago APPAM Public Policy Camp.
Sep 27, 2024, 10 - 11 AM ET(NY), (Virtual) - Navigating Tobacco Harm Reduction: Insights from Consumer Behavior and Policy in Nepal.
Sep 27-Oct 1, 2024, Orlando, FL, US - American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition. Monday, Sept. 30: “What’s All the Buzz? New and Emerging Nicotine Products Addicting Youth,” Brian King, Ph.D., M.P.H
Sep 29, 2024 - World Heart Day
Sep 30, 2024, 11 AM BST (Virtual) - Behavioural Research UK: Causality, evidence and policy in behavioural research. You can follow them on X (Twitter).
Sep 30, 2024, 8 AM - 6 PM (In-person) London - Nicotine addiction 2024: Action on smoking.
October - Stoptober
October - Healthy Lung Month
October - Health Literacy Month
Oct 3-4, 2024, Burlington, VT, US (In-person & Virtual) - Vermont Center on Behavior and Health 12th Annual Conference. 2024 Theme: "Tobacco Use: Intersections with Other Addictions, Chronic Disease, and Health Disparities."
Oct 4, 2024, (Virtual) 2:00-3:00 PM ET - TOPS Tobacco Online Policy Seminars. You can follow them on X (Twitter).
Oct 4, 2024, (Virtual) 1:00 PM AEST - Tobacco Endgame CRE Series: Responses to health warning labels on cigarette packages between 2002 and 2022: Findings from the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey. You can follow them on X (Twitter).
Oct 7, 2024 (Virtual) 12:00 PM (UK) - Stoptober 2024: Busting Vape Myths: A Closer Look at the Evidence.
Oct 7, 2024, (Virtual) 2-4:30PM CEST - SRNT-E Non-combustible nicotine – beyond electronic cigarettes.
Oct 8, 2024, 9 AM - 12:15 PM PT (Virtual) - the UCSF Annual Tobacco and Other Industry Documents Workshop. More info here.
Oct 13-17, 2024, Edinburgh, Scotland - CORESTA Congress 2024
Oct 14-17, 2024 (In-person) PA, US - Clearing the Air® Institute. American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation
Oct 15, 2024, (Virtual) 12-1 PM EST - Addressing the Harmful Effects of Tobacco Related Stigma.
Oct 15, 2024, US (Virtual) - FDLI Introduction to Tobacco Law and Regulation. You can follow them on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Facebook.
Oct 16, 2024, UK 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (Virtual) - Introduction to ontologies and the Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology.
Oct 17, 2024, Prague, Czech Republic (In-person) - Global Anti-Illicit Trade Summit, Europe.
Oct 19, 2024, (In-person & Virtual) Malaysia, - Harm Reduction Conference 2024.
Oct 23-25, 2024, Lisbon, Portugal - LISBON ADDICTIONS European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies. (Some of the sessions are about tobacco/nicotine.)
Oct 23-25, 2024, Broadbeach, Australia - Oceania Tobacco Control Conference 2024. See list of Conflict of Interest Principles.
Oct 23, 2024, Washington DC, US (In-person and Virtual) - FDLI Tobacco and Nicotine Products Regulatory Science Symposium. You can follow them on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Facebook.
Oct 24-25,2024, Washington DC, US (In-person and Virtual) - FDLI Tobacco and Nicotine Products Regulation and Policy Conference. You can follow them on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Facebook.
Oct 27-30, 2024, Minneapolis, MN, US - 2024 APHA Annual Meeting and Expo (Public Health). Register here.
Oct 28, 2024, Charleston, SC, US (In-Person & Virtual) 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM ET - Susan Rosenblatt lecture: Brian King
Oct 28-29, 2024, Charleston, SC, US (Virtual and In-Person) 2024 NICOTINE AND TOBACCO SCIENCE CONFERENCE
November - COPD Awareness Month
November - Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Nov 6-8, 2024, Harrisburg, PA, 2024 James E. Anderson Pennsylvania Conference on Juvenile Justice. One of the workshops, Restorative Solutions: Rethinking Youth Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping Dependency
Nov 12, 2024, San Francisco, CA, US (In-person) 9 AM - 5 PM PT Free - Introduction to Causal Research Methods. Note: Registration Deadline September 25, 2024.
Nov 12, 2024, San Francisco, CA, US (In-person) 9 AM - 5 PM PT Free - Introduction to Difference-in-Differences. Note: Registration Deadline September 25, 2024.
Nov 13-14, 2024, Accra, Ghana - Africa Conference on Tobacco Control.
Nov 14-15, 2024, UK - SSA Annual Conference. Professor Ann McNeill will give the Society Lecture at the SSA’s Annual Conference. The title of the talk is, ‘Tobacco harm reduction – controversies and potential resolutions’.
Nov 14-16, 2024, Chicago, IL, US—AMERSA Conference—Note: We won't know until the agenda is announced if nicotine will be part of this year's conference.
Nov 14-16, 2024, Ontario, Canada - CSAM-SMCA 2024 Scientific Conference.
Nov 18-20, 2024, Olomouc, Czech Republic, (In-person) - Czech Annual Cancer Research Meeting. Note: Keynote talks: Prof. David Khayat on Cancer Risk Factors: The Role of Tobacco Harm Reduction.
Nov 20, 2024, National Harbor, MD, US 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET (In-Person) FREE - Introduction to Causal Research Methods. Note: Registration Deadline September 25, 2024.
Nov 21-23, 2024, National Harbor, MD, US Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management - Fall Research Conference. (APPAM)
Nov 21, 2024, Great American Smokeout
December 5, 2024, UK (Virtual and In-person), E-Cigarette Summit UK
Dec 30, 2024, World Safer Nicotine Day #WSND #WSND24
Scroll Down for 2025 and 2026 Events
Check out the public Google calendar of THR-related events created and maintained by Clive Bates. Also, check out the event calendar from Ecig Intelligence. Their listings include consumer/trade shows and expos that I don't include in this newsletter. This is a good resource for information on conferences about addiction/behavior.
Research Participants Wanted
UCL seeks people who vape to participate in a 30-minute lab-based study.
Positions Available
Rutgers: Data Analyst.
*NEW* Health and Environmental Economics Lab (HEEL) at URMC: Health Economics and Data Science Predoc.
Wanted: Conference/Seminar Submissions…
TOPS Tobacco Online Policy Seminar call for papers/nominations. The submission deadline is October 7, 2024.
Call for Papers
Cancer prevention. Submission Deadline: 11 October 2024
Mental Health, Stigma and Addictive Behaviors. A special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2024
Empirical modeling. Submission deadline: 28 November 2024
Generating stronger evidence to inform policy and practice: natural experiments on built environments, health behaviours and chronic diseases. Submission deadline: November 30, 2024
A Means to an ENDS: The Uncertainty of ENDS Use and Cardiovascular Disease From Human Research to Basic Science Mechanisms. Submission deadline: 31 December 2024
Cancer Causes and Control. A special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024
Factors Associated with Successful Smoking Cessation. A special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024
Scroll down for 2025 opportunities
Call for Papers
E-cigarettes and Vaping Products: Health Effects and Toxicological Impacts. A special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 21 January 2025
Thinking Outside the Box to Reduce Health Inequities in Perinatal Tobacco and Nicotine Exposure: A Nicotine & Tobacco Research Themed Issue Nicotine & Tobacco Research intends to publish a themed issue on Prenatal Tobacco and Nicotine Exposure. The guest editors for this issue will be Dr. Natacha De Genna, Dr. Laura Stroud, and Prof. Yael Bar-Zeev. Submission deadline: February 1, 2025.
LGBTQ+ Health. Submission deadline: 04 March 2025
*NEW* 14th Workshop on the Economics of Risky Behavior Call for Submissions. Submission deadline: 10 March 2025 (Event)
Consumer behaviour. Submission deadline: 25 March 2025
Wearable devices. Submission deadline: 27 March 2025
The Tobacco Endgame in Low- And Middle-Income Countries and Indigenous Communities: Evidence Syntheses and Systematic Reviews. Submission deadline: 25 May 2025
STRONGER Scholars: A Research Education Program to Reduce Tobacco-Related Cancer Disparities and Improve Health Equity. A special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025
Jan 15-19, 2025 Seattle, WA, US - Society for Social Work and Research.
*NEW* Jan 27-28, 2025, Las Vegas, NV, US - E-Vapor and Tobacco Law Symposium.
Feb 13-15, 2025, Boston, MA, US - 2025 AAAS ANNUAL MEETING. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE
Mar 5, 2025 York, UK (In-person & Virtual SCAH - Smoking Cessation and Health Conference.
Mar 12-15, 2025 New Orleans, LA, US - SRNT 31st Annual Meeting
Mar 27-29, 2025 - Phoenix, AZ, US - 31st Nicotine Dependence Center Conference 2025: The Evolving Tobacco Landscape and Implications for Policy and Practice.
April 15-17, 2025, Arlington, VA, US - American Tobacco & Nicotine Forum (ATNF), formerly the TMA Annual Meeting & Conference (I’m not aware of a link available to the event yet)
Apr 27-30, 2025 - Bogotá, Colombia - 28th edition of the Harm Reduction Conference (HR25)
*NEW* June 11-12, 2025, Madrid, Spain - 14th Workshop on the Economics of Risky Behavior.
June 2025, Bangor, Maine, US - 2025 Tobacco Treatment and Prevention Conference.
Aug 26-28, 2025 Chicago, IL, US - The National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH) (Link is to the announcement, not event info)
Sep 10-12, 2025 Romania - SRNT-E Conference.
Nov 13-15,2025 Hyatt Seattle, WA, US - Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management - Fall Research Conference. (APPAM)
Nov 17, 2025 (all week) Geneva - FCTC COP11
Nov 24, 2025 (all week) Geneva - FCTC MOP4
Mar 4-6, 2026 Baltimore, MD, US - SRNT 32nd Annual Meeting.
Sep 6-9 2026, Cape Town, South Africa - 18th World Conference on Public Health.
Nov 5-7, 2026, Boston, MA, US - Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management - Fall Research Conference. (APPAM)
Notes:
I create these newsletters as a personal project. They are not affiliated with any current or past employers or groups I do volunteer work with. I believe that everyone deserves a seat at the table. If you’re interested in nicotine with a focus on THR, this newsletter is for you.