Tobacco Regulation and Products

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.

Take Action

Smoke

Urge the FDA to say "no" to Big Tobacco's use of flavors in their products!

For years, Big Tobacco has used flavored products and predatory marketing practices to lure kids and communities of color to their deadly products. This needs to stop. 

Latest Updates

December 6, 2023
National

Nearly two years after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its proposed rules to eliminate menthol in cigarettes and all flavors in cigars, the administration/White House announced today it will further delay release of final rules. Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), released the following statement:

November 10, 2023
Tennessee

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – Elected officials across the state must do more to support residents of Tennessee who want to quit using tobacco products, according to cancer patients, survivors and advocates who are marking the American Cancer Society’s 48th annual Great American Smokeout® on November 16, a day for people who use tobacco to create a plan to quit.

November 2, 2023
National

New data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) found that more than 6.21 million youth reported ever using tobacco products and 2.8 million report current use (past 30 days) of any tobacco product in 2023.

September 7, 2023
National

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) launched a new campaign, “Empower Vape-Free Youth,” which aims to empower educators to speak with youth about the risks associated with e-cigarettes and nicotine addiction and to encourage youth to avoid and/or quit e-cigarettes.

Tobacco Regulation and Products Resources

Tobacco use is one of the primary causes of cancer-related health disparities - disproportionately impacting people by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, mental health, income and education levels, and geographic location. Eliminating health disparities depends heavily on eliminating tobacco use. ACS CAN is pursuing evidence-based policies at the local, state, and federal levels that aim to reduce disparities and improve health outcomes for all individuals.

Flavors are a marketing weapon the tobacco manufacturers use to target youth and young people to a lifetime of addiction. The use of any flavored tobacco product among youth is concerning because it exposes them to a lifetime of nicotine addiction, disease, and premature death.