Question ID: WS-94
Submitted by: David Abrams
June 27, 2011
1. What groundbreaking new research initiatives could be prioritized over the next decade to cut tobacco prevalence in half by 2025 in our nation ? 2. What should the next overarching strategic research agenda be now -- to follow and build on the extraordinary success of the last two decades of NCI investment in Tobacco Control Research to Policy initiatives ? 3. How can a new research agenda be developed to take full advantage of the dramatically changed landscape in Tobacco Control and Policy that is afforded by the new 2009 FDA regulation of tobacco products ? Given that tobacco Use Behavior accounts for over a third of all cancer deaths. Given that these cancer deaths are preventable by smoking cessation or prevention of youth uptake. Given that the reduction in lung cancer from 1965 to 1995, primarily in male lung cancer as a result of cutting male smoking prevalence in half, is the greatest public health success of the the 20th century. And Given that it is estimated that this specific reduction in lung cancer is the PRIMARY DRIVER (accounting for at least 40%) of the credit given to the reversal in total cancer deaths in the USA since the war on cancer was declared. It is therefore appropriate, urgent and fitting that NCI continue to lead the way in developing an extraordinary opportunity for the next decade of tobacco control strategic research. Provoking another doubling of the reduction in population prevalence of tobacco use behavior in one generation will not be easy as the rate of decline has stalled at around 20% prevalence. But progress will save more lives and money than any other investment NCI can make in the overall war on cancer in the next ten years. This must be one of NCIs top three provocative challenges. The tobacco industry and the entire landscape of reduced harm products, the new context of FDA regulation of tobacco, and other strong vectors, makes it a new ballgame -- where much of our past research to date no longer applies. A completely new and provocative research agenda in tobacco control is urgently needed. Now more than ever NCI most challenge the nations research community as we watch over 430,000 people die unnecessarily each year from tobacco related diseases. This is the mission of NIH and goes well beyond important biomedical research on nicotine as an addiction. A provocative strategic initiative in tobacco control speaks to a need for research that informs policy and impacts whole population prevalence. NCI has the experience, maturity, and effective infrastructure at NIH to do this task. The environment and behavior are as equally important as biology and genes in improving the nations health in our lifetime and for our children.
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