Center for Tobacco Products Research Priorities

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (TCA) gives the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) broad authority to regulate tobacco product manufacturing, distribution and marketing.   Although a vast and sound science base exists with regard to numerous areas of the TCA, new research will provide scientific evidence in several areas. Research areas include:

1. understanding the diversity of tobacco products,
2. reducing addiction to tobacco products,
3. reducing toxicity and carcinogenicity of tobacco products and smoke,
4. understanding the adverse health consequences of tobacco use,
5. understanding communications about tobacco products,
6. understanding tobacco product marketing, and
7. understanding how economics and policies affect tobacco product use.

Vulnerable populations referenced in research questions include, but are not limited to age, gender, race, ethnicity, income, occupation, geographic location, people with mental health or medical co-morbidities, the military/veterans, the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgendered, questioning (LGBTQ) community, and pregnant women/women of reproductive age.