Action Review: First Quarter 2026

US Smoking Prevalence Drops But There’s More to See There

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a peer-reviewed article from our tobacco control colleague, Dr. Israel Agaku, announcing some partially good news: in 2024, cigarette smoking among adults in the United States fell to 9.9%. 

 While this is progress, it’s not the complete story. Unfortunately, unless we do more, we are still losing the battle for health against the commercial tobacco and nicotine industry.  Read more> 

ASH NEWS

• Release: Tobacco Endgame Policies Work and Do Not Harm the Economy 

• Release: ASH Honors Outgoing Board Chair Doug Blanke and Introduces New Board Chair Carolyn Dresler, MD, MPA 

• Blog: A Letter from ASH Board Chair Carolyn Dresler, MD, MPA 

• Campaign: Protect Children, End Tobacco Exploitation in Spain 

• Campaign: Protect Children, End Tobacco Exploitation in Colombia 

• Campaign Success: CRC Calls to Protect Children’s Rights by Strengthening Tobacco Policies 

• Blog: The Global Fight to Protect Women and Girls from Tobacco 

• New Report: Making Tobacco Industry Elimination Inevitable 

TOBACCO NEWS

• New Study: Reveals US Cigarette Smoking Rates Dropped to 9.9% in 2024. 

• New Study: Naturalistic Tobacco Retail Exposure and Smoking Outcomes in Adults Who Smoke Cigarettes Daily 

• Massachusetts’ flavored tobacco product restriction projected to save more than $70 million in smoking-related health care costs since 2020 implementation 

• An evaluation of cytisinicline for smoking cessation in adult smokers 

• Switzerland: National Council blocks ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) – another win for the tobacco industry 

• Campaigners say Big Tobacco targets kids via F1, call for sponsorship ban 

• US State of Tobacco Control 2026 

• Tobacco industry gave millions to Keep Britain Tidy via middleman 

• Anti-trash activists want San Francisco to ban plastic cigarette filters 

• Can hiding cigarettes in shops deter first-time smokers? 

ACT WITH ASH

Tobacco products remain the #1 preventable cause of death in the U.S. and around the world.  

And the tobacco industry is fighting harder than ever to weaken public health policies and increase their profits.  

With your help, ASH can remain at the forefront to protect you and your loved ones from the harms caused by the tobacco industry. It’s grueling work, but it’s the only way to end the tobacco epidemic.  

Please make a donation today to sustain our life-saving mission>