• Senate Should Vote No On Health Care Bill – Proposal Would Take Away Health Coverage from Millions and Harm Efforts to Reduce Tobacco Use

    Washington, D.C. – This week, the U.S. Senate will debate and vote on proposals to repeal the Affordable Care Act. While the Senate may consider several proposals, all of the proposals to date would take away health care coverage from tens of millions of Americans and greatly weaken disease prevention initiatives, including tobacco prevention and cessation programs. The Senate should vote no on these proposals that would do so much harm to the health and health care of our nation, especially to our poorest and most vulnerable citizens.

    Read the full post.
    PRESS RELEASE | Jul 25, 2017

  • Leading Health Organizations Seek to Intervene in Defense of FDA Rule on E-Cigarettes, Cigars

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Six leading public health organizations today asked federal courts to allow them to intervene in two lawsuits brought by the electronic cigarette and cigar industries against the Food and Drug Administration’s 2016 rule establishing public health oversight of e-cigarettes, cigars and other previously unregulated tobacco products.

    Read the full post.
    PRESS RELEASE | Jul 24, 2017

  • New Jersey Raises Tobacco Age to 21 – It Will Protect Kids, Save Lives

    photo

    WASHINGTON, D.C. / NEW JERSEY – With Gov. Chris Christie signing the bill into law today, New Jersey has joined the growing list of states and communities prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 21. In taking this bold step, New Jersey will prevent young people from starting to use tobacco, save lives and help make the next generation tobacco-free.

    Read the full post.
    PRESS RELEASE | Jul 21, 2017

  • House Appropriations Committee Cuts Funding for CDC’s Life-Saving Tobacco Control Programs

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the second week in a row, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee has approved legislation that jeopardizes our nation’s progress in reducing tobacco use and puts the tobacco industry’s interests before America’s kids and health.

    Read the full post.
    PRESS RELEASE | Jul 20, 2017

  • WHO Report Shows Global Progress in Fighting Tobacco Use, but Countries Must Do More to Save Lives

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – A report card on the global fight against tobacco use, issued today by the World Health Organization (WHO), shows that while a growing number of countries are making important progress, there is still much more work to do to stand up to the tobacco industry and stop tobacco from killing one billion people worldwide this century.

    Read the full post.
    PRESS RELEASE | Jul 19, 2017

  • Oakland Restricts Sale of Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Tobacco

    Oakland, CA – July 18, 2017— Leading health organizations and community groups today applauded the Oakland City Council’s unanimous approval of new safeguards to keep flavored tobacco products – including menthol-flavored cigarettes – from youth. A final vote on the new measure is expected in September after which the new law would go into effect mid-2018.

    Read the full post.
    PRESS RELEASE | Jul 18, 2017

  • Reuters Exposes Massive Philip Morris Scheme to Fight Global Tobacco Control Efforts – Shows Company’s Claimed Commitment to a “Smoke-Free Future” is a Sham

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – An investigative report published today by Reuters reveals a massive, secretive campaign by tobacco giant Philip Morris International to undermine the global tobacco control treaty, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and fight countries’ efforts to implement the life-saving measures called for by the treaty. This report shows that Philip Morris continues to do everything possible to throw roadblocks against efforts to reduce tobacco use and cannot be taken seriously when it claims to be committed to a “smoke-free future,” as the company has aggressively done in recent months. It is the height of hypocrisy for Philip Morris to proclaim publicly that it is helping solve the tobacco problem while it secretly wages all-out campaigns against efforts to reduce tobacco use and save lives.

    Read the full post.
    PRESS RELEASE | Jul 13, 2017

  • House Appropriations Bill Helps Tobacco Companies Target Kids with Candy-Flavored E-Cigarettes and Cigars

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Once again protecting the tobacco industry at the expense of America’s kids, the House Appropriations Committee today approved a bill with two provisions that would help tobacco companies market candy-flavored electronic cigarettes and cigars to children. These special-interest provisions would greatly weaken Food and Drug Administration oversight of e-cigarettes and cigars now on the market and completely exempt some cigars from FDA oversight. These provisions would make it much harder for the FDA to protect kids from the huge assortment of candy-flavored e-cigarettes and cigars introduced in recent years, or address other health risks posed by e-cigarettes and cigars.

    Read the full post.
    PRESS RELEASE | Jul 12, 2017

  • Oregon Will Be Third State to Raise Tobacco Age to 21

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Oregon Legislature has taken bold action to protect kids from tobacco addiction and save lives by voting to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 21. Lawmakers gave final approval to the bill Thursday, and Gov. Kate Brown has indicated she will sign it into law. Her signature will make Oregon the third state in the nation to raise the tobacco age to 21, joining California and Hawaii.

    Read the full post.
    PRESS RELEASE | Jul 7, 2017

  • San Francisco to End the Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products

    San Francisco, CA – Leading health organizations and community groups applauded the San Francisco Board of Supervisors today for its public health leadership. The Board gave unanimous final approval to an ordinance that will end the sale of flavored tobacco products – including menthol-flavored cigarettes – throughout the city and county. Mayor Ed Lee has indicated he will sign the measure into law, which will go into effect April 1, 2018.

    Read the full post.
    PRESS RELEASE | Jun 27, 2017

U.S. FEDERAL ISSUES

The federal government must provide strong leadership in the fight against tobacco use, the number one cause of preventable death in the United States.

After a long battle, Congress and President Obama in 2009 enacted a new law giving the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products and marketing.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids was a leader in the fight for this law and is working to ensure it is vigorously enforced.

The Obama Administration also has launched the first national tobacco control strategy, which calls for a public education campaign and other actions to prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect everyone from harmful secondhand smoke. It is critical that the plan be robustly funded and effectively implemented.

Go to the Federal Issues section

 

Key Federal Issues

  • FDA Authority Over Tobacco Read More

    A landmark 2009 law gives the FDA authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products

  • National Tobacco Control Strategy Read More

    Learn more about the Administration's plan to reinvigorate efforts to reduce tobacco use

  • Health Care Reform Read More

    New law bolsters disease prevention and expands coverage for quit-smoking therapies

  • Federal Tobacco Taxes Read More

    Higher tobacco taxes reduce smoking, raise revenue and are popular with the public

  • Internet Tobacco Sales Read More

    The Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act bars the illegal sale of tax-evading tobacco products over the Internet

  • Trade and Tobacco Read More

    Tobacco products should be excluded from trade agreements

map

U.S. STATE AND LOCAL ISSUES

Tobacco use takes a huge toll in health, live and dollars in every state.

Tobacco costs state taxpayers billions each year in Medicaid and other health care expenses and imposes enormous costs on families and businesses.

State and local governments often have been in the forefront of the drive to reduce tobacco use, save lives and save money. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids works to put proven solutions in place in every state and community.

Go to the State and Local Issues section

 

The Toll of Tobacco in the U.S.

 

Key State and Local Issues

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

Tobacco use killed one hundred million people worldwide in the 20th century. Without urgent action, it will kill one billion people in the 21st century.

An international treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, requires nations to implement proven measures to reduce tobacco use.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids supports governments and non-governmental organizations around the world in promoting and implementing these policies. We are a partner in the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, which focuses on low- and middle-income countries where more than 80 percent of tobacco-related deaths will occur in the coming decades.

International Resources
Visit our international website to find multilingual resources.
[ English | Español | Français | Português | Русский | العربية | 中文网 ]

Toll of Tobacco Around the World
Get the latest data on tobacco's devastating impact on health, lives and the economy.

Tobacco Control Laws
Explore tobacco-control laws and litigation from around the world.

 

Key International Issues

  • Advertising and Promotion Read More

    Bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship reduce tobacco use, especially among youth

  • Illicit Trade/Smuggling Read More

    International and national policies are needed to combat the illicit tobacco trade, which harms public health and global security and costs governments billions

  • Light and Low-Tar Cigarettes Read More

    Nations must stop the marketing of cigarettes as "light" and "low-tar," which falsely promotes some cigarettes as less harmful

  • Public Education Campaigns Read More

    Aggressive campaigns prevent children from smoking, help smokers quit and change public attitudes

  • Smoke-Free Laws Read More

    There is a fast-growing global movement to adopt 100 percent smoke-free laws that apply to all workplaces and public places

  • Taxation & Price Read More

    Higher tobacco taxes reduce smoking, save lives and increase revenues

  • Warning Labels Read More

    Large, graphic warning labels increase knowledge of health risks and influence decisions whether to smoke

 

.

TOBACCO INDUSTRY WATCH

For decades, the tobacco industry has marketed its deadly products to kids, deceived the public about the harmful effects of tobacco use and fought proven measures to reduce tobacco use.

In a landmark 2006 U.S. federal court ruling, the big cigarette makers were found to be racketeers who engaged in a deadly fraud.

Despite marketing restrictions and the imposition of new Food and Drug Administration regulations, the industry continues to try to thwart the law.

And it has redoubled its promotion of tobacco products around the world, targeting low- and middle-income countries with limited resources to deal with its deadly products and deceptive marketing.

View All Tobacco Industry Watch Reports

 

Featured Reports

 

Join the Tobacco-Free Kids E-Champions

Learn More »
Outside the US? Click here. Are You Inside the US or Canada?
Close

Why join our fight?

  • Tobacco will kill 1 Billion people worldwide this century ... unless we act now.
  • Tobacco companies must be held accountable for their marketing practices and deception.
  • pass strong tobacco control laws, we need public support — we can't do this without you!

By joining our fight, you can help:

  • Get artists like Kelly Clarkson and Alicia Keys to drop tobacco sponsors from their concerts around the world.
  • Help pass local legislation that is proven to reduce tobacco use.

Sign up today to receive updates and alerts about opportunities to fight Big Tobacco internationally and in your country.

Your privacy is fully protected and we will never sell your information to a third party. (See Privacy Policy)

Why join our fight?

  • Tobacco use will kill 1 Billion people worldwide this century ... unless we act now.
  • Tobacco companies must be held accountable for their marketing practices and deception.
  • To pass strong tobacco control laws, we need grassroots support — we can't do this without you!

By joining our fight, you can help:

  • Get musicians like Kelly Clarkson and Alicia Keys to drop tobacco sponsors from their concerts around the world
  • Knock tobacco out of the park by getting all tobacco use out of Major League Baseball.
  • Pass government policies at the federal, state and local levels that are proven to reduce tobacco use.

Sign up today to receive updates and alerts about opportunities to fight Big Tobacco nationally and in your own community.

Your privacy is fully protected and we will never sell your information to a third party. (See Privacy Policy)

map

Thank You!


You have now joined more than 100,000 others in the fight against Big Tobacco.

Go Mobile. Occasionally, we will have breaking news to share with you. Enter your mobile phone number to have the most urgent updates sent right to your phone.

Mobile #:  

Thank You!

You have joined the global fight against Big Tobacco. Look out for emails from Tobacco-Free Kids on opportunities to get involved. In the meantime, learn more about our international program.

Be sure to like/follow us on:
Facebook Twitter