Tobacco and international trade agreements, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, have been in the news a lot lately. This Tobacco Control Legal Consortium webinar provides an overview of the controversy over tobacco in international trade and the impact of free-trade tobacco on global public health. Speakers describe the worldwide tobacco problem and the tobacco industry’s historic use of litigation as a tool to thwart global tobacco control efforts. The webinar also provides a brief update on current international tobacco trade litigation.

Listen to the leading Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) experts share their perspectives on the MSA, how it came to be, how it has been enforced, and why it is so crucial in tobacco regulation. The MSA is an historic accord between cigarette companies and 46 states, reached as a result of litigation seeking compensation for the states’ healthcare costs related to effects of smoking.

The Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program is a federal program, available in every state, to promote the development of affordable housing. States and some local communities can customize the requirements of the program to encourage the development of housing that aligns with community housing goals. LIHTC has been used by some states to encourage the adoption of smoke-free policies for new housing developments or for properties going through major renovation. This webinar will review LIHTC and provide examples of states using the program to promote smoke-free living.

This webinar provides an overview of how the Public Health Law Center can assist SHIP grantees and their partners with policy, systems, and environmental initiatives to promote healthy eating.

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This webinar addresses the problem of menthol tobacco products at the state and local level, summarizes the legal landscape regarding the regulation of these products, and provides lessons learned from two jurisdictions that have recently addressed this problem: Hawaii, where an ultimately unsuccessful legislative bill would have prohibited the sale of all flavored tobacco products in the state; and Chicago, where the city council passed an ordinance in 2013, restricting the sale of flavored tobacco products within 500 feet of all city schools.

Tucked deep in the FDA’s proposed Deeming Regulation, which would assert jurisdiction over cigars, e-cigarettes, and other tobacco products, is a cost-benefit analysis that is setting off alarm bells for public health advocates. The analysis is based on the astonishing premise that the benefits from reductions in smoking have to be discounted significantly to offset the loss in pleasure that smokers suffer when they overcome their addiction.

Foster children face a disproportionate number of health-related challenges due to backgrounds that can include physical and emotional abuse, neglect, malnutrition, and in-utero alcohol or drug exposure. Approximately 80 percent of all foster children have at least one chronic medical condition. Despite this, in many states these children are still placed in foster homes where they are exposed to the health hazards of secondhand smoke.

Still haven’t had time to read the 900+ pages of 2014’s 50^th Anniversary Surgeon’s General Report on Smoking? The Tobacco Control Legal Consortium is sponsoring a 1.5-hour webinar with three nationally recognized experts who will provide you with highlights of the report, information on the tobacco industry’s role in light of the scientific evidence presented in the report, and practical guidance on how states and local communities can use the report’s findings to advance tobacco control.

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As the smoke-free housing movement matures, new issues and topics are emerging. This webinar features an overview of recent updates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Program. The webinar presenters also address current topics including smoke-free policies in housing for special populations, medical marijuana, and ordinances requiring disclosure of smoking policies.

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Join us for an interactive webinar to learn about the risks of indoor tanning and the Minnesota UVideo challenge for high school students. Participants will learn about the risks associated with tanning bed use, particularly for teens and young adults; hear about the current state law on minors’ use of tanning beds and learn about reforms in other states to protect minors; and get information about how their schools and organizations can participate in the UVideo challenge for high school students.

What can the US public health community learn from the tobacco control experiences of other countries? This 90-minute webinar gives an overview of key tobacco control accomplishments around the world, highlight the importance of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and cover the latest progress in implementing articles of the international tobacco treaty, as well as several recent legal challenges, including trade disputes.

As a result of increased cigarette taxation and regulation, the tobacco industry and a growing number of consumers are turning to a variety of other tobacco products, including flavored little cigars, dissolvables, and e-cigarettes.  What can state and local communities do to regulate these non-cigarette tobacco and nicotine delivery products?  This webinar provides an overview of local and state policy options, including youth access restrictions, smoke-free measures, sales restrictions, and pricing initiatives; presents a few examples of recent legislation; and examines industry