PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine
Director, Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program (TPEP)
UNC-Chapel Hill
Cancer Prevention and Control
Area of Interest
My research in tobacco control and prevention and tobacco regulatory science addresses critical questions on how to reduce tobacco product use and effectively communicate the harms of tobacco use to improve population health and reduce mortality and morbidity from tobacco-related illness including many cancers.
As director for the Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program (TPEP) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I lead a team of talented public health professionals to conduct tobacco prevention research and evaluate public health programs. Our goal is to conduct research that directly informs public health policy and practice and to provide evaluation services that help public health programs maximize their impact. Tobacco use prevention and cessation is critical and achievable through state-level programs, tobacco control policies, and tobacco product regulation. I collaborate with faculty and students across disciplines and within and outside of the University to contribute to and move the science forward in tobacco prevention research.
Awards and Honors
- John Oliver Cook Fellowship, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, 2000
- Jerry J. Collier Award, The Graduate School, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, 1997-1998
- Dr. Edward Geldreich Academic Award, San Diego State University, CA, 1993
- Full Athletic Scholarship, Gymnastics, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, 1982-1987
News and Stories

Daily emails about chemicals in tobacco lead some smokers to consider quitting
Adam O. Goldstein, MD, MPH, and Leah M. Ranney, PhD, have published a study that found that smokers who saw messages about tobacco chemicals with associated health risks expressed greater desire to quit smoking.

Though concerned about COVID-19, cigar smokers are smoking more, survey finds
Published survey results from Sarah Kowitt, PhD, MPH, and Adam Goldstein, MD, MPH, found that more than twice as many cigar smokers reported increased tobacco use since the pandemic’s onset.

E-cigarette flavors decrease perception of harm among youth
UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers found in a review of research that non-menthol flavors attract youth and adults to use e-cigarettes and the use of flavored e-cigarettes contributes to multiple pathways linked to higher e-cigarette use among youth.

Goldstein to use $2.7M NCI grant to develop, test warnings for little cigars, cigarillos
The National Cancer Institute has awarded University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researcher Adam Goldstein, MD, MPH, a five-year, $2.7 million grant to develop more effective health warnings for little cigars and cigarillos. Nearly 12 million U.S. adults reported smoking cigars within a single month, according to 2016 national survey, and little cigars …