At a glance
Learn more about how the Office on Smoking and Health partners with states to save lives and money by preventing and reducing commercial tobacco use.
CDC's Office on Smoking and Health
CDC's Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) is the lead federal agency for comprehensive tobacco prevention and control. OSH saves lives and saves money by preventing and reducing commercial tobacco use.A
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. More than 80% of OSH’s budget supports state and local tobacco control efforts.
Support for state and local tobacco control
Even if you haven't heard of OSH, you've probably seen or felt the impact of our work:
On TV, radio, and billboards
CDC's Tips From Former Smokers® ad campaign has inspired 1 million U.S. people to quit smoking from 2012 to 2018.
On the phone
1-800-QUIT-NOW links callers to their state quitline with support from OSH.
In the news
The news covers OSH reports and studies about tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure.
In your family
Someone you know may have quit smoking because of OSH's work to support and encourage tobacco cessation.
In your community
Smokefree indoor air protections have expanded in public places because of OSH's scientific research.
CDC's National Tobacco Control Program
The National Tobacco Control Program supports all 50 states, DC, 8 U.S. territories, and 26 tribal organizations. It's the only nationwide investment for comprehensive tobacco control efforts. States use OSH funds for the following goals:
- Prevent kids from using tobacco.
- Reduce secondhand smoke exposure.
- Help people quit smoking.
- Reduce disparities in tobacco use.
For every $1 spent on strong tobacco control programs, states achieve $55 return on investment, mostly in averted health care costs to treat smoking-related illness.
CDC's Tips From Former Smokers® campaign
CDC's Tips From Former Smokers® (Tips®) campaign profiles people from many different backgrounds living with serious long-term health effects from smoking and secondhand smoke exposure. Tips® also features compelling stories on the toll smoking-related conditions have on family members.
Tips® connects people who smoke with cessation resources, including a National Texting Portal and a free quitline, 1-800-QUIT-NOW. CDC helps state and territorial quitlines respond to the large increase in call volumes when the Tips® campaign is on air.
Tips® saves states money. CDC's ad development, placement, and evaluation allows states to invest in ad placement during times and in areas not reached by CDC's Tips® campaign. CDC’s supplemental quitline support helps states meet the demands for cessation support generated by the campaign.
CDC's support for tobacco surveillance
CDC funds data collection, evaluation, research, and lab activities that monitor tobacco use and its health effects. OSH supports the state-based Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. With FDA, OSH supports the school-based National Youth Tobacco Survey, the nation's premier survey of youth tobacco use.
National level surveillance systems provide consistent, reliable, and cost-effective data collection. CDC data are used by states and others to evaluate their work and monitor progress.
How does OSH serve states?
OSH provides the critical linkages, expertise, resources, and technical assistance states need to maximize impact and minimize duplicate efforts.
Documenting the problem
OSH produces Surgeon General's Reports (SGRs). The reports help us understand the health effects of tobacco use, secondhand smoke exposure, and evidence-based tobacco control strategies.
OSH's scientists regularly publish high-quality reports on tobacco use trends. States use these reports to monitor progress, prioritize interventions, and reduce disparities. For SGRs, visit: Surgeon General's Reports on Smoking and Tobacco Use.
Finding best practices
OSH experts identify what works in tobacco control so that states don't have to solve a problem that has a proven solution. OSH's Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs Guide outlines how to develop, implement, and budget for an evidence-based tobacco control program. For more, visit: Evidence-Based Guides for States.
Providing technical assistance and linkages for states and health systems
OSH provides technical assistance for state tobacco control programs. OSH also partners with states and health systems, working to improve insurance coverage of cessation treatments. OSH creates opportunities for states to hear from one another and share best practices. For more, visit: Reduce Commercial Tobacco Use.
Sharing media resources
Through the Media Campaign Resource Center (MCRC), OSH provides access to existing tobacco education ads. This helps state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments, as well as others, avoid the high cost of producing new ads. Shared ads include CDC's Tips From Former Smokers®—a valued asset given its research-based process and proven success. For more, visit the MCRC at Media Campaign Resource Center (MCRC).
Educating the public about tobacco use among young people
OSH's Empower Vape-Free Youth campaign encourages middle and high school educators to speak with students about the risks of e-cigarettes and nicotine addiction.
The campaign also provides resources for educators to help students avoid or quit vaping. These resources reduce the need for states to develop their own resources. For more, visit: Empower Vape-Free Youth Campaign.
Tracking and imaging data
OSH provides current and historical state-level data on tobacco prevention use and control—online, with an easy-to-use app. The STATE System is available to states, researchers, media, and the public. Visit: State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System.
- Commercial tobacco includes harmful products made and sold by tobacco companies. It does not include traditional tobacco used by Indigenous groups for religious or ceremonial purposes.