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Ryan
David
Kennedy
,
PhD

Associate Professor

Ryan Kennedy, PhD, is a behavioral scientist who works to advance tobacco control policies in the U.S. and around the world.

Contact Info

2213 McElderry Street, 4th Floor
Baltimore
Maryland
21205
US        

Research Interests

tobacco control; emerging nicotine products; public health policy; regulatory science; environmental health; air quality; social marketing; qualitative research; mixed-methods research

Experiences & Accomplishments
Education
PhD
University of Waterloo
2010
Overview

Ryan David Kennedy (he/him) is a tobacco control researcher interested in the role policy plays in addressing the global tobacco epidemic. Kennedy works in low- and middle-income countries through his role with the Institute for Global Tobacco Control. Kennedy works in many regulatory domains including tobacco advertising at the point-of-sale, health warning labels, and clean air laws. Domestically, Kennedy has a program of research with the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Programs, funded through the Hopkins CERSI (Center for Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation) working to understand e-cigarette advertising of product features including flavors. Emerging tobacco products including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products present interesting public health challenges. Kennedy oversees a global policy scan to understand how countries/jurisdictions are regulating these emerging nicotine delivery systems. 

Kennedy has a long history of working on clean air issues and has studied tobacco smoke, wood smoke, and ambient pollution in numerous settings. 

Kennedy uses a variety of research methods including observational studies, surveys, content analysis, focus groups and key informant interviews.

Select Publications

These publications reflect my work in tobacco control with a focus on policy to improve public health. I work to generate evidence that will support the development or improvement of tobacco regulation in the US and internationally including clean air laws, health warnings, cessation supports, and point-of-sale advertising and promotion.

  • Kennedy RD, Awopegba A, De León E, Cohen JE. Global approaches to regulating electronic cigarettes. Tobacco control. 2017 Jul 1;26(4):440-5.

  • Kennedy RD, Moran M, Czaplicki L, Handy J, Welding K, Kelley D. Nicotine-related content in English language ENDS advertisements in the US: 2018–2020. Preventive Medicine. 2023 Jun 1;171:107513.

  • Kennedy, R. D., & Jones, V. C. (2019). Reducing the dangers of e-cigarettes for children: opportunities for regulation and consumer education. Medical Journal of Australia, 210(3), 118-119. 

  • Duren M, Atella L, Welding K, Kennedy RD. Nicotine pouches: a summary of regulatory approaches across 67 countries. Tobacco control. 2024 Apr 1;33(e1):e32-40.

  • Teed JA, Robichaud MO, Duren M, Gouda HN, Kennedy RD. State of the literature discussing smoke-free policies globally: A narrative review. Tobacco induced diseases. 2024;22.

Projects
Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use