PH 7020: Principles of Tobacco Control
Instructor: Michael Eriksen, Sc.D.
Fall Semester 2014
Course Basics / Class Day/Time: / Face-to-face classroom sessions will be held on Fridays at 9:30am - 12:00pm on the following dates: Aug. 29, Sept. 26, Oct. 31, and Dec. 05Class Location: / Web-facilitated Hybrid Course: Online and On-Campus Sessions.
Face-to-face session will be held at the Urban Life Building, 140 Decatur Street, Suite 1240.
Prerequisite(s): / None
Required Course Materials / Eriksen M, Mackay J, Ross H. The Tobacco Atlas. Fourth Ed. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; New York, NY: World Lung Foundation; 2012. Complimentary copies will be made available on the first day of class.
Faculty Accessibility / Instructor(s) of Record: / Michael Eriksen
Office Location: / Urban Life Building- 140 Decatur Street, Suite 854
Phone Number(s): / (404) 413-1480
Email: /
Follow on Twitter: @MPEriksen
Office Hours/Availability: / By appointment – contact Emily Cahill,
- COURSE DESCRIPTION
Principles of Tobacco Control - 3.00 Credit hours
Progress in reducing tobacco use is one of the ten greatest achievements of the second half of the 20th century; however, tobacco use still remains the leading preventable cause of death in America. The control of tobacco use draws upon many if not all of the academic disciplines that compose public health. In many ways the study of tobacco control serves as a case study for understanding the broad field of public health. This course will provide an overview of the history and evolution of tobacco in society, with particular emphasis on the variety of public health disciplines used to reduce tobacco use, including behavior change, communications, law, regulation, public policy and community action.
II. Course Objectives / Competency / Assessment of Student Learning:
This course is designed to support students in acquiring competence in the following areas, as indicated in the GSU School of Public Health Graduate Student Handbook (see MPH Competencies).
- HPMB 2. Describe steps and procedures for the planning, implementing and evaluating public health programs, policies and interventions.
- HPMB 3. Apply evidence-based principles and the scientific knowledge base to critical evaluation and decision making in public health.
- HPMB 4. Develop a logic model for use in program development, implementation, and evaluation.
Course Objectives / Program Competency / Assessment Method(s)
Assess harm caused by primary smoke and secondhand smoke. / N/A / In class activities and discussions
Examine smoking behavior variations by population characteristics (gender, race, age, SES, special populations) in both the U.S. and globally. / N/A / In class activities and discussions
Question the concept of harm reduction from a public health perspective. / HPMB 4 / In class activities and discussions
Contrast the human and monetary costs of tobacco use to profits received by tobacco companies. / N/A / In class activities and discussions
Analyze tactics used by the tobacco industry to market their products and influence politics. / N/A / In class activities and discussions
- Contrast clinical and population-based tobacco control interventions.
- Evaluate the evidence for tobacco control methods such as smoke-free air laws, taxes, and marketing restrictions.
- Scrutinize the variability of tobacco control laws in the U.S. and globally.
- Hypothesize how tobacco control methods can be applied to other public health issues.
- Contrast endgame targets and strategies in place around the world.
III. Course Assignments and Requirements
Prerequisites: None.
Course Design: Hybrid Course Format - Online and On-Campus Sessions
- The syllabus, any changes to the syllabus, lecture slides, homework, quizzes, and other important information will be posted to Moodle.
- Students should check the Moodle course page at least every other day.
- Professor will hold an in class meeting on the followingFridays at 9:30am - 12:00pm on the following dates: Aug. 29, Sept. 26, Oct. 31, and Dec. 05 atUrban Life Building 140 Decatur Street Suite 1240.
- Should you have any questions about the course or its requirements, please ask your question during virtual sessions or contact the Instructor via email or phone. He/she will respond to you within 2 working days.
- Instructions for accessing Moodle site:
- Go to URL:
- Username: [your email address up until the @ symbol]
- Password: changeme
- You will be prompted to enter a new password
Assessment: Following are the criteria for evaluating student performance – 100 points possible. Refer to the grading rubrics located in the course website for specifics on the criteria for grading each assessment. The instructor will provide results/feedback on assessments within 7 working days.
Discussion Board Posts: 45 Points
Each week students are required to enter 2 postings for this discussion. You mayeitherstart a new thread plus comment on an existing thread;oryou may comment on two already existing threads.
Online Assignments: 45 Points
Each week students are assigned online activities. Instructions and deadlines for these activities can be found on the course page.
Final Essay: 10 Points
Topic: Endgame Paper - Describe what the world will look like relating to tobacco in 2050? Discuss the type of nicotine delivery system used (combusted cigarettes, electronic, or other type), and the number of tobacco users in 2050. Which tobacco control strategies will be in place in 2050?
Instructions: The paper should be approximately 5 pages (1250 words) in length, typed, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font. See grading rubric for this paper found under the additional resources tab in Moodle. Deadline for the final essay is Wednesday, December 10th, 2014 @ 11:00pm.
IV. Grading Policy
Grading breakdown:
90 – 100 points A
80 – 89 points B
70 – 79 pointsC
60 – 69 points D
Below 60 points F
V. Attendance and Class Participation Policy
This course assumes substantial and informed student participation. General discussion of theory and practice is encouraged and expected of all students. At a minimum, being informed requires completion of assigned readings and homework, and assessments. Attendance at each class meeting is extremely important and is highly correlated with overall success in the course. Students are expected to complete the 15 modules (sessions) online and will have one week to complete each module, depending on the module assignment. Deadlines are indicated below and on the course webpage.
VI. Late Assignments and Make-up Examination Policy
Late Assignments: The deadlines for the assignments are final. Any assignment turned in late will receive a grade of zero. Please contact the instructor if you believe you require an excused deadline extension; an extension is not guaranteed.
Withdrawals: A student who withdraws at any time up to the mid-point of the quarter will be assigned a W or WFdepending upon whether he/she is doing satisfactory work at the time of withdrawal. An average grade of D or F at the time of withdrawal will be assigned a grade of WF. After the mid-point of the quarter, the Registrar’s Office will assign an automatic WF to any student who withdraws from the course without a hardship withdrawal. If a student receives permission to withdraw under hardship, the Instructor will assign a W or WF grade depending upon the student’s work up to the point of time that the student withdrew.
The following is the formal policy at Georgia State University:
“Effective Fall 2001, Instructors must on a date after the mid-point of the course to be set by the Provost (or his designee),
- give a WF to all those students who are on their rolls but no longer taking the class and
- report the last day the student attended or turned in an assignment.
Students who are withdrawn may petition the department chair for reinstatement into their classes.
Incompletes: A student will be given the grade I only if nonacademic circumstances beyond the student’s control prevent the student from completing a small segment of the course—e.g., the final examination. For a student to receive the grade of I, he/she must be doing satisfactory work (an average grade of C or better) up to the point that he/she could not continue. Arrangements must be made with Instructor to remove the incomplete grade within one quarter.
Appeals: GSU student appeals policy and procedure
General Expectations: This is a graduate level course, and student behavior is expected to be in keeping with that expected of graduate students and professionals. Students are expected to show courtesy and respect for classmates and faculty.
- Syllabus Deviation Policy
The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary.
- Student Code of Conduct and Policy on Academic Honesty
All students at this University are expected to engage in academic pursuits on their won with complete honesty and integrity. Any student found guilty of dishonesty in any phase of academic work will be subject to disciplinary action. The complete Academic Honesty policy is located in the GSU Graduate Catalog, Section 1350: Students and faculty are expected to review and conform to the university’s policy on academic honesty. Information on the Student Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures are available at:
Special attention should be paid to the sections on plagiarism and multiple submissions:
Plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as, “appropriating and putting forth as one’s own the ideas, language, or designs of another” (The Living Webster, 1975) – and it is strictly forbidden. Written and oral presentations must be a student’s own work. Students plagiarizing or cheating in any form will face disciplinary action which could result in an “F” in this course and suspension or expulsion from the University. Copying from written materials, presentations, websites, etc. without source acknowledgement and referencing is plagiarism. Read it, appreciate it, learn from it, and make sure you source it – and then reflect it with your own thoughts and words! If you are uncertain about what constitutes plagiarism, please contact the instructor.
Multiple Submissions.It is a violation of academic honesty to submit substantial portions of the same work for credit more than once without the explicit consent of the faculty member(s) to whom the material is submitted for additional credit. In cases in which there is a natural development of research or knowledge in a sequence of courses, use of prior work may be desirable, even required; however, the student is responsible for indicating in writing, as a part of such use, that the current work submitted for credit is cumulative in nature.
Core Rules of Netiquette
In addition to the student code of conduct policy, students should also follow the following rules of netiquette. These rules provide you with guidance about Internet etiquette, including the importance of demonstrating effective and respectful online communication.
Students should review these rules before class begins.
- Rules of Netiquette[1]
- Disability Accommodations Policy
Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the GSU Office of Disability Services. Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the Office of Disability Services of a signed Accommodation Plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which an accommodation is sought. The Office of Disability Services is located in the GSU Student Center, Suite 230 and online here:
- Course Evaluations Statement
Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Georgia State. Upon completing this course, please take time to fill out the online course evaluation.
- Career Services
The School of Public Health provides career services & student leadership opportunities (student clubs & organizations) to all current SPH students and alumni. SPH Career Services can help students with resume writing, interviewing, job searching, internship development, and professional networking. Students are invited to attend our career events and workshops, and individualized career counseling appointments can be arranged. To see what career panels, career fairs, and events are available this semester, please visit: The SPH Career Services office is co-located with the Office of Academic Assistance in room 640 at One Park Place.
- Tentative course schedule, topics, and readings
Week / Module / Module Reading / Module Activity
Aug. 25 - 31 / 1)Harm and Death
- Cigarettes are Instruments of Death
- Forced Smoking Harms and Kills
- Other Tobacco Products Also Kill
- Causality is Established and Essential
- Eriksen M., Mackay J., & Ross H. (2012).The Tobacco Atlas.Fourth Ed. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; New York, NY: World Lung Foundation.
- Chapter 1:Death
- Chapter 2:Harm from smoking
- Chapter 3:Secondhand smoking
- Chapter 4:Types of Tobacco
- Chapter 11:Smokeless Tobacco
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2006).The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General -- Executive Summary.Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health. (Pages 1-14)
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2010).A Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease - The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease.
5. Moolgavkar, S.H., Holford, T.R., Levy, D.T., Kong, C.Y., Foy, M., Clarke, L., … Feuer, E.J. (2012).Impact of Reduced Tobacco Smoking on Lung Cancer Mortality in the United States During 1975–2000.Journal of the National Cancer Institute,104(7), 541—548. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djs136.
6. Doll, R., & Hill, A. B. (1950).Smoking and carcinoma of the lung.British Medical Journal,2(4682), 739—748.
7. Proctor, R. (2012).The history of the discovery of the cigarette-lungcancer link: evidentiary traditions, corporate denial, global toll.Tobacco Control,21: 87-91. / Face-to-Face Class meeting:
August 29, 2014
9:30 am-12:00pm am
Discussion board: Gap Minder- Lung Cancer Statistics
Online Assignment: Using the 2004 Surgeon General’s Report
Due at 11:00 pm on Sunday, August 31st
Sept. 01 – 07 / 2)Adult Tobacco Use Behaviors
- U.S. Adult Tobacco Use
- Global Adult Tobacco Use
- Tobacco Atlas, Fourth Edition –
- Chapter 6: Cigarette Consumption
- Chapter 7: Male Tobacco Use
- Chapter 8: Female Tobacco Use
- Chapter 11: Smokeless Tobacco
- Giovino, G. et al. (2012).Tobacco use in 3 billion individuals from 16 countries: an analysis of nationally representative cross-sectional household surveys.The Lancet, 380 (9842): 668-679 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61085-X). (Uses GATS data).
- CDC NHIS Early Release: Prevalence of current smoking among adults aged 18 and over: United States, 1997–2012.
- SAMHSA. Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings.Read Chapter 4 “Tobacco Use” of theResults.
- PBS news hour report on a recent study in Lancet by Gary Giovino who is talking about the GATS survey results, and highlighting the smoking prevalence rates among 14 developing nations around the world.
Online Assignment: State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System Quiz
Online Assignment: CDC Vital Signs Infographic Quiz
Due at 11:00 pm on Sunday, September 7th
Sept. 08 – 14 / 3)Youth Tobacco Use Behaviors
- U.S. youth tobacco use
- Global youth tobacco use
- Tobacco Atlas, Fourth Edition –
- Chapter 9:Boys’ Tobacco Use
- Chapter 10:Girls’ Tobacco Use
- American Cancer Society: Child and Teen Tobacco Use, 2012.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013. More than 40 percent of middle and high schoolers who smoke use flavored little cigars or flavored cigarettes.
Online Assignment: Global youth tobacco survey
Online Assignment: MMWR Smoking in top grossing movies
Due at 11:00 pm on Sunday, September 14th
Sept. 15 - 21 / 4)Novel Nicotine Products and Harm Reduction
- It’s All About Nicotine
- Tobacco Companies Respond to Smoking’s Harm
- Novel Nicotine Products and Harm Reduction: A Cloud of Controversy
- Chapter 5:Nicotine Delivery Systems
3. Nitzkin, J. L. (2012).Tobacco harm reduction—A public health perspective.
4. National Public Radio. (2013).E-Cigarettes bring smokers back inside, for now.
5. National Public Radio. (2013). E-Cigarettes bring smokers back inside, for now.
6. Short video where Dean Eriksen was interviewed by our local Fox Network talking about the phenomenon of e-cigarettes in terms of how they’re marketed, their sales, and whether they are regulated or not. / Discussion board: Electronic Cigarettes
Online Assignment: Harm Reduction in the US vs. the UK activity
Online Assignment: Arguments for and against E-cigarettes activity
Due at 11:00 pm on Sunday, September 21st
Sept. 22 – 28 / 5)Tobacco Enterprise
- The Tobacco Business: Big, Legal and Deadly
- Tobacco is Grown with Little Benefit to Farmers
- Six Trillion Cigarettes are Manufactured Annually
- The Costs of Smoking to Society far outweigh the benefits
- The Illicit Cigarette Trade May Involve Organized Crime
- As Price Increases Smoking Decreases
- Eriksen M., Mackay J., & Ross H. (2012).The Tobacco Atlas.Fourth Ed. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; New York, NY: World Lung Foundation.
- Chapter 13:Costs to Society
- Chapter 15:Affordability of Cigarettes
- Chapter 16:Growing tobacco
- Chapter 17:Manufacturing cigarettes
- Chapter 18:Tobacco Companies
- Chapter 19:Illicit Cigarettes
3. Tobacco Control Legal Consortium:Strategies to Combat Illicit Tobacco Trade(2012).