Tobacco Regulation and Products

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In 2009, we won a hard-fought campaign that led to Congress passing a law granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate all tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars and hookah. Yet, it took the FDA seven years to begin their oversight of many of these products with much more work left to be done. 

Recent spikes in the use of e-cigarettes makes clear that more must be done to regulate tobacco products and the industry's deceptive marketing practices.  We are working to ensure the government fully leverages the regulatory power it now possesses to protect children and adults. 

Tobacco use costs our nation nearly $300 billion in health care and productivity losses each year.

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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

March 24, 2025
Montana

HELENA, Mont. –– Cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and advocates from throughout the state called on lawmakers Monday to honor the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act and kill Senate Bill 150, which would allow cigar smoking in restaurants, bars and gaming facilities that are currently smoke-free. State polling shows that 89%

March 12, 2025
Oregon

SALEM, Oregon —— Jane Leo has been named the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Government Relations Director for Oregon. She will lead ACS CAN’s efforts to advance legislation and public policies to reduce the cancer burden, specifically ending the sale of flavored and menthol tobacco in her

January 21, 2025
Oregon

SALEM, Ore. –– On the first day of the 2025 Oregon Legislature, advocates of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network call on lawmakers to finish the job and end the sale of menthol cigarettes and all other flavored tobacco products. Big Tobacco continues to use flavors to target its

January 15, 2025
National

Today, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed rule to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes and certain other combusted tobacco products to minimally additive or nonaddictive levels.

Tobacco Regulation and Products Resources

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.

The tobacco industry has a history of using litigation to avoid and delay laws and regulations enacted to safeguard the public. ACS CAN, with our tobacco control partners, has also relied on the courts to hold Big Tobacco accountable and to ensure the federal government is effectively implementing the Tobacco Control Act.

Implementation of graphic warnings in the U.S. has been thwarted by tobacco industry legal challenges. The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), along with our partners, have fought back in the judicial system, using litigation to both compel the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue graphic warning regulations and help the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) defend the regulations finalized by FDA.