Newsletter January 2026

A new national report from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and several health partners reveals that most U.S. states are still failing to invest sufficient funding in programs that prevent tobacco use, support quitting, and protect public health -- despite the enormous harm that tobacco causes to families and communities across the country.

The report, titled Broken Promises to Our Children: A State-by-State Look at the 1998 Tobacco Settlement 27 Years Later, examines how states have used revenues from the historic tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes to fund prevention and cessation efforts. The report finds that state funding for tobacco control programs remains far below what health experts recommend, even as tobacco use -- especially among young people -- continues to threaten long-term health.

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, responsible for nearly 500,000 fatalities each year, and costing hundreds of billions of dollars in health care expenses and lost productivity. Even with progress in reducing cigarette smoking, millions of Americans still use tobacco products and millions of young people continue to experiment with nicotine-containing products such as e-cigarettes.

States Are Not Funding Prevention at Recommended Levels

According to the report’s findings for the 2026 fiscal year:

• States will collectively spendjust $728.6 million on tobacco prevention and cessation programs.
• That amount is a decrease from the previous year, and represents only about 22% of the funding recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for all states combined.
• Only one state, Maine, currently funds its tobacco control programs at or above CDC-recommended levels.
• Seventeen states invest less than 10% of recommended funding levels.
• Nine states allocate less than 5% of recommended tobacco prevention funding.

Public health experts have repeatedly warned that low levels of prevention funding have led to greater health burdens, especially for children and adolescents who remain susceptible to marketing and addictive products. Despite the clear evidence that tobacco control programs reduce youth initiation and help adults quit, states continue to underfund these lifesaving efforts.

Tobacco Taxes Could Boost Health and Revenue

The report also highlights how increasing cigarette taxes can yield substantial health and economic benefits. Scientific evidence shows that raising the price of tobacco products reduces consumption -- especially among youth, who are more price sensitive -- and generates new revenue for state health programs. If all states and the District of Columbia increased their cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack, analysts project:

• More than 230,000 children could be prevented from ever starting smoking.
• Nearly 860,000 current adult smokers could quit.
• Over 275,000 premature, smoking-related deaths could be avoided.
• More than$14 billion in long-term health care costs could be saved.

These benefits would come alongside billions of dollars in additional state revenue, funds that can support tobacco prevention, health care, and other community priorities. Despite declines in traditional cigarette smoking, millions of young people continue to use tobacco products, and product innovation continues to challenge public health efforts.

For full details, data tables, and state-by-state breakdowns from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ Broken Promises to Our Children report, visit their website: https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/what-we-do/us/statereport/.

Edu-Futuro’s Strengthening Families 10-14 Program, which helps teens to reduce such risky behaviors as tobacco use and vaping, is sponsored in part by a generous grant from the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY), empowering Virginia's youth to make healthy choices by promoting active, nutritious and tobacco-free living.