At #SRNT2026 today, during a panel discussion featuring @FDATobacco's (CTP's) leadership team, Dr. David Ashley, former director of CTP's Office of Science, asked what the agency is doing to better educate adults who smoke about relative risk and the health benefits of switching to FDA-authorized noncombustible products. The answer unfortunately fell well short of what is desparately needed with 1,300 Americans dying DAILY from smoking. Anne Rancourt, the director of CTP's Office of Health Communication and Education, who is responsible for conducting public education, stakeholder outreach, and regulatory communication programs, said "we are looking very closely at what we can do in the adult education realm" with appropriate nuance about completely switching to FDA-authorized products. She also said "it needs to be personalized to the individual," even though that isn't how FDA communicates in this area. She also said that it should be a message that, "if heard by youth, won't encourage them to start using" these products. That was pretty much it. With due respect to these folks at FDA who are navigating challenging territory, why does this feel so unsatisfactory as we near the 17th anniversary of the Center for Tobacco Products?
