Associate professor of health, society, and behavior with Wen Public Health, Denise Payán, has been appointed to serve as a policy expert at UC Merced’s Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center (NCPC), a policy and research center established through several large grants from the University of California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program.
NCPC was created to address the ongoing public health crisis caused by tobacco and cannabis use in central Calif. The center’s main mission is to advance research and policy in tobacco and cannabis regulation which remains a significant public health issue.
California has been a leader in the adoption of policy to reduce tobacco use.”
– Denise Diaz Payán, MPP, PhD
According to the California Department of Public Health’ California Tobacco Control Program, smoking-related illness accounts for approximately 40,000 deaths annually in Calif.; and cigarette smoking costs the state $43.54 billion in health care costs and lost productivity from illness and premature death. And despite the state’s reputation as a leader in tobacco control, the San Joaquin Valley and surrounding Sierra Foothills aren’t keeping up with the rest of the state.
“California has been a leader in the adoption of policy to reduce tobacco use. However, tobacco-related disparities exist for groups and regions across the state, including the San Joaquin Valley where this center is located,” said Payán who is also the faculty director of the UC California Initiative for Health Equity & Action.
Appointed to a 4-year term, Payán brings her expertise in state and local policy adoption and implementation, policy evaluation, and translation research. Her role will involve offering policy guidance on NCPC research projects to enhance the applicability of these findings in the legal landscape. Additionally, she will collaborate with NCPC investigators, staff, and community partners to address emergent tobacco and cannabis policy needs in California.
