Tobacco Control

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Tobacco products are projected to kill one billion people worldwide this century. And the industry is showing no signs of slowing down, spending more than $9 billion on marketing each year. 

Despite the industry's deceptive and deadly practices, ACS CAN continues to have enormous success passing local, state and federal laws that prevent children from smoking, help adults quit and ensure the government uses its authority to regulate tobacco industry practices.

While our work has had an enormous impact on youth cigarette use - now at historic lows - the use of e-cigarettes among kids is skyrocketing.  This further reinforces the importance of continuing this lifesaving work.

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Protect our Children from Big Tobacco

The tobacco industry has preyed upon young people by marketing products that appeal to kids.

Latest Updates

April 23, 2025
Montana

HELENA, Mont. –– Cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and advocates from throughout the state call on lawmakers to honor the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act and vote to kill Senate Bill 150 today after it narrowly passed second reading on Tuesday, 51-49. The bill would allow cigar smoking in restaurants, bars

April 23, 2025
Washington

OLYMPIA, Wash. -– American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network advocates call on Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson to refuse to allow the long-term health of Washington residents to become collateral damage to the state’s current budget crisis. The state’s cancer prevention programs are one of the reasons Washington cancer incidence numbers

April 23, 2025
Montana

HELENA, Mont. –– The Montana House of Representatives on Wednesday defeated Senate Bill 150, siding with the overwhelming majority of voters who have stated a clear preference to not have cigar smoke polluting the spaces where they dine and gather with family and friends. SB 150 was defeated 54-45 on

April 15, 2025
Indiana

Today, the Indiana legislature passed the budget, sending it to the conference committee. Unfortunately, this version of the budget does not include increased tobacco taxes or funding for programs that help prevent tobacco use and help those already addicted quit.

Tobacco Control Resources

Sustained, dedicated federal investment in tobacco control through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office of Smoking and Health (OSH) is necessary to prevent initiation of tobacco products, monitor tobacco product use, identify tobacco related disparities, and promote effective strategies to help individuals who use tobacco products to successfully quit.

Comprehensive tobacco retailer licensing laws can reduce the harmful impact of the tobacco retail environment by regulating where and how tobacco retailers can operate and sell tobacco products as well as providing the licensing entity the authority to ensure tobacco retailers are complying with all applicable tobacco control laws.

In 1999, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against major tobacco manufacturers Philip Morris USA, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Lorillard, and Altria to hold the industry accountable for more than 50 years of conspiring to defraud the public in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Big Tobacco, an industry which has for decades knowingly addicted and endangered the lives of millions of Americans for their own profit, must now post the truth about their deadly products, including at the point-of-sale (POS) for approximately 220,000 tobacco retailers.