A number of our partners are hosting webinars related to retail tobacco control and issues that affect the point-of-sale.  See the descriptions below and sign up for the webinars that interest you

Know of an upcoming webinar or resource that we missed?  Let us know!

JUNE

You Don’t Say? Tobacco & the First Amendment 

June 18, 2013/ 1:00-2:30pm EST  (by the Public Health Law Center)

The tobacco industry often challenges tobacco control laws and regulations on the grounds that such measures violate its First Amendment right to freedom of speech. How did we get to a place where commercial speech, including tobacco marketing, is given substantial First Amendment protection? This webinar will provide an overview of the evolving commercial speech doctrine and explain the different tests that courts apply to analyze laws regulating commercial speech. Speakers will highlight First Amendment challenges to tobacco control laws and policies, and discuss the potential impact of recent court rulings on the future of tobacco regulation.

Presenters: Ilana Knopf, Center for Public Health & Tobacco Policy, New England Law | Boston; Ted Mermin, Public Good Law Center; Moderator: Kate Armstrong, Tobacco Control Legal Consortium.  

The Tobacco Control Act Four Years Later: Living Up to its Promise?

June 24, 2013 / 1:00-2:30pm EST (by the Public Health Law Center)

June 22, 2013, marks the fourth anniversary of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009, which granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products to benefit public health. Since the Act became law, the FDA has established the Center for Tobacco Products and has begun the work of regulating tobacco products and enforcing those regulations.  In this webinar, speakers will reflect on the past four years of federal tobacco regulation, including successes, disappointments, and hopes for the future.

Presenters:  Greg Connolly, Harvard University School of Public Health;  Susan Kansagra, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; Joelle Lester, Tobacco Control Legal Consortium; Erika Sward, American Lung Association.  Moderator: Maggie Mahoney, Tobacco Control Legal Consortium. 

 Get Plugged In: Taking Tobacco Retailer Licensing to the Next Level  

June 27, 2013/ 2:00-3:00pm (by ChangeLab Solutions)

Communities throughout the state are using local licensing ordinances to reduce sales of tobacco products to youth and to combat other public health problems related to tobacco use. In this webinar, we will explore how communities can customize their local licensing ordinances to address emerging tobacco control issues. We will discuss ChangeLab Solutions’ new and improved plug-in policies that communities can use to update their licensing ordinances. These policies cover a variety of issues, including tobacco sales near schools, sales of teen-friendly tobacco products such as little cigars, and tobacco retailer density. Local speakers will share their experiences, including efforts to address electronic cigarettes and tobacco sales by pharmacies.

Presenters: Meliah Schultzman, Staff Attorney at ChangeLab Solutions.

JULY

Partnerships for Healthier Corner Stores

July 2, 2013/ 2:00-3:00pm (by ChangeLab Solutions)

Public health advocates specializing in nutrition, tobacco control, and alcohol control have each developed strategies to increase access to healthy foods in stores and decrease access to less healthy foods and substances – but generally these efforts have been uncoordinated.  This webinar will present strategies for leveraging the expertise in these fields to develop a comprehensive approach to creating healthy corner stores, with examples of communities that are successfully breaking down these silos.

Presenters: Hannah Laurison, Planner and Policy analyst consultant at ChangeLab Solutions; Meliah Schultzman, Staff Attorney at ChangeLab Solutions.

Menthol in Tobacco Products: What Local Health Departments Can Do 

July 9, 2013/ 1:00 – 2:00 pm EST (by NACCHO)

Tobacco companies add flavors to their products to mask the harsh taste of tobacco, making it easier for young people to start smoking. That’s why Congress banned the sale of flavored cigarettes in 2009. But Congress made one exception to the flavor ban, deferring action on the most popular of all flavors — menthol — and directing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to decide whether continued sale of menthol cigarettes is “appropriate for public health.” Unfortunately, in the nearly four years since the law was enacted, the FDA has studied the issue but failed to take action to prohibit menthol in tobacco products. During this NACCHO webinar, experts from the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium will discuss what local health departments can do to press the FDA to take bold action while also considering local policy options to address the devastating public health impact of menthol in tobacco products.

“A Taste of Training”: Introduction to Tobacco 101 Online Tutorial

July 31, 2013/ 3:00-3:30pm EST (by TTAC)

TTAC is hosting a 30-minute webinar to provide an overview of the Tobacco 101 tutorial content, highlight the tutorial’s interactive features, and provide suggestions on how a variety of different audiences can use the tool. Tobacco 101 is TTAC’s new (free!) self-guided online tutorial that provides the information and resources necessary to understand the problems related to tobacco use and the strategies that effectively reduce tobacco use.Webinar login information will be sent directly to registered participants prior to the webinar.

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