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

November 21, 2024
National

During this year’s American Cancer Society’s (ACS) Great American Smokeout® on November 21, ACS and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) are encouraging people who use tobacco to take an important step toward a healthier life by making a plan to quit.

November 21, 2024
Montana

HELENA, MONT. –– Cancer patients, survivors and advocates are marking the American Cancer Society's 48th annual Great American Smokeout® today by calling on elected officials across the state to do more to reduce tobacco use. The Great American Smokeout is a day for people who use tobacco to create a

November 21, 2024
Wyoming

CHEYENNE, WYO. – – Cancer patients, survivors and advocates are marking the American Cancer Society's 48th annual Great American Smokeout® today by calling on elected officials across the state to do more to reduce tobacco use. The Great American Smokeout is a day for people who use tobacco to create

November 21, 2024
Washington

OLYMPIA, Wash. –– Cancer patients, survivors and advocates are marking the American Cancer Society's 48th annual Great American Smokeout® today by calling on elected officials across the state to do more to reduce tobacco use. The Great American Smokeout is a day for people who use tobacco to create a

Tobacco Control Resources

For decades, tobacco companies have used flavors, in cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, hookah, to lure and target youth and young people and expose them to a lifetime of nicotine addiction, disease, and premature death. Flavors, especially menthol, are known to improve the ease and use of a product by masking the tobacco’s harsh effects. ACS CAN urges lawmakers to protect public health, not Big Tobacco’s profits, by passing comprehensive tobacco control policies that apply to all tobacco products.

Many important public health policies are often developed and passed at the local level. Communities are also able to advance health equity when they can pass specific public health policies aimed at addressing local health disparities. But preemption—when a higher level of government revokes local authority—can restrict local policymakers’ ability to pass, implement, and enforce innovative and proactive public health policies. States should be able to set a minimum standard for public health protections, but they should not pre-empt local governments from going above and beyond that minimum standard.

Big tobacco has a history of prioritizing corporate profits over people and communities burdened by tobacco-related illness and death. For decades, the tobacco industry has lied to specific communities and the public at large saying their products are not addictive, harmful or deadly. Tobacco manufacturers continue to create and flood the market with newly designed products they market as being less harmful and alternatives to quitting – a tactic that is not new.