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.

Latest Updates

August 9, 2022
Maine

BANGOR – This evening, the city of Bangor will once again vote on a bill that would end the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and menthol flavored products. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges City Councilors to prioritize the health of children

August 4, 2022
Ohio

Ending the Sale of Flavored Tobacco is Critical to Protect Youth and Reduce Tobacco Use

August 3, 2022
Missouri

COLUMBIA, MO - Today, Governor Parson, cancer survivors and health advocates met at the University of Missouri to celebrate the state’s new funding for tobacco cessation and prevention. In Missouri, smoking is responsible for 11,000 deaths in our state each year, including 31% of cancer deaths. Smoking remains the number

July 28, 2022
National

Today the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee released its FY 2023 spending bill that includes a $2 billion funding increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including a $291 million funding boost for the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Tobacco Control Resources

While overall smoking rates have declined in recent years, smoking rates remain higher among specific subpopulations, including African Americans. These differences are in large part due to the tobacco industry’s targeted marketing through advertising, price discounting and other strategies.

High rates of menthol cigarette use is the result of deliberate actions by the tobacco industry to target certain populations. Decades of tobacco industry documents show how the tobacco industry targeted Black Americans, as well as LGBTQ+ and low-income communities with menthol cigarettes.

Cigars are tobacco wrapped in tobacco leaf or wrapped in a substance containing tobacco leaf. They can come in all shapes and sizes. One study found that the sales of cigarillos - which comprise most cigar sales - increased from 2016 to 2020 while their prices decreased. Lower prices can make tobacco products more attractive to youth because they are price sensitive. The study also found a significant increase in the sales of certain flavored cigarillos and large cigars.

Among adults who currently smoke cigars, those who used flavored products were more likely to be non-Hispanic Black individuals, younger, and have lower household incomes.