Congress Should Reject Administration’s Budget Proposal to Eliminate Funding for CDC’s Lifesaving Tobacco Control Program
Statement of Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
WASHINGTON, D.C. – It is deeply disappointing and harmful to public health that the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget once again proposes to eliminate funding for the CDC’s tobacco control program, which plays a vital role in protecting kids from the harms of tobacco use and helping people quit smoking. The elimination of funding would benefit the tobacco industry at the expense of kids and lives. We urge Congress to again reject this shortsighted proposal and properly fund the CDC’s tobacco control program, as it did in FY 2026 with strong, bipartisan support. We also urge Congress to reject the proposed elimination of the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which would make it more difficult to effectively fund public health programs, including tobacco prevention and cessation efforts.
The fight against tobacco use and its enormous health and financial toll must remain a national priority. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S., killing nearly 500,000 Americans every year and costing over $241 billion in direct annual health care expenses, with over 60% of these costs paid by taxpayers through government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Smoking is a primary driver of chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, COPD and diabetes. The Administration cannot achieve its stated goal of reducing chronic disease without making tobacco control a priority.
For decades, the CDC has played a leading role in the nation’s efforts to address tobacco use, with demonstrated effectiveness in saving lives and health care dollars. The CDC tobacco control program is the only dedicated source of federal funding for state tobacco prevention and cessation programs. It has also provided critical support for quitlines and other services to help people quit smoking, including the Tips from Former Smokers public education campaign that has helped more than one million people quit and saved an estimated $7.3 billion in health care costs.
By continuing to fund CDC’s tobacco control program, Congress can protect kids, save lives and save money for taxpayers.