ASH Released 2026 US Tobacco Lobbyist Data Now in its sixth year, the ASH Tobacco Industry Lobbyist and Lobbying Firm Registration Tracker provides the most comprehensive publicly available picture of who represents tobacco interests in state capitals, where they lobby, which companies they represent, and how the industry’s lobbying network
PALAU CALLS FOR GLOBAL REVIEW OF NICOTINE AS NEW PRODUCTS EXPAND The Republic of Palau continues to lead global efforts to address the rapidly evolving nicotine landscape. Following its historic notification to the United Nations requesting a WHO review of nicotine under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, the WHO
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
ASH’s Impact in 2025 Building Toward the End of Tobacco Sales Momentum is building toward a tobacco-free future, and the endgame movement is stronger than ever. Read ASH’s 2025 Impact to see which breakthroughs are changing the game. ASH NEWS Blog: 2025 Reflection from ASH Executive Director Laurent Huber Media: Nations Advance
Tobacco Industry Expands Lobbying Efforts by 24% across the U.S. in 2025 Big Tobacco ramped up its lobbying in 2025, with a 24% jump in registrations nationwide—1,275 lobbyists and firms now work to block public health protections. Many are former government officials, giving the tobacco industry insider access to policymakers. Pennsylvania, Florida,
Launchpad: 1st Global and 2nd US Tobacco Endgame Summits This June, ASH hosted the 2025 Global Tobacco Endgame Summit in Dublin, Ireland, bringing together 150 leaders from governments, advocacy groups, and global agencies to accelerate the movement to phase out commercial tobacco sales. Speakers and participants discussed ways to partner beyond the tobacco control field—engaging human rights
Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes Are Not Recyclable Today is International Day of Zero Waste which reminds us that while we should be aware of what we consume, we should be particularly cognizant of what we waste, how we can minimize it, and how to properly dispose of it. The Earth is almost
2023 Annual Report Released This has been another fast-paced year in ASH’s fight to protect society from the harm caused by the tobacco industry. A year where we have seen much progress, reached new milestones, and marked major anniversaries. Unfortunately, 2023 was also a year where we faced painful setbacks
Tobacco Companies Violate Children’s Human Rights Every day, tobacco companies are violating children’s right to health, right to a healthy environment, and right to be free from racial discrimination. Governments have a duty to protect those basic human rights. Read how we can stand together to ensure all children’s rights
Health Groups File Second Lawsuit Against the US FDA “We’re extremely disappointed to be forced to file this second lawsuit against the FDA in support of protecting Americans from menthol cigarettes,” said Laurent Huber, Executive Director of Action on Smoking and Health. “The FDA’s own research confirms that a menthol
Joint Op-Ed: 139 Organizations Call on New Zealand to Prioritize Human Life Over Tobacco Industry Profit We wholeheartedly agree with our colleagues and concerned citizens in New Zealand that repealing this Act would be both irresponsible and immoral. The marketing and sale of tobacco products – the only consumer products
Tobacco Endgame Matters Podcast Episode 11: The Truth about the Tobacco Industry’s Influence, featuring Truth Initiative CEO and Youth Ambassador In this episode, Robin Koval, Truth Initiative CEO and President, and Jordan Watkins, Truth ambassador and doctoral student at the University of Alabama, join ASH’s Policy Director, Chris Bostic, for
Tobacco Industry Lobbyists Undermine Public Health “There is an irreconcilable conflict between the goals of tobacco companies and the goals of public health,” said Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy, Managing Attorney at ASH. “We must exclude tobacco companies from regulating their own products, as the global tobacco treaty, the FCTC, recommends. Where that’s
How to Sidestep Addiction and Save a Billion Lives | Tamu Green Ph.D. | TEDxFolsom “We have the expectation that consumer products that needlessly cause injury and death are never placed on the market, but what do we do if a product began its sales before its harm was known
ASH’s Impact in 2022 We are a small but mighty team, fighting back against the endless resources of Big Tobacco. The tobacco industry is working harder than ever to maintain their deadly grasp on their customers, most of whom want to quit smoking. ASH and our partners have been fighting
ASH’s Accomplishments in 2021 ASH’s work is based on the principle that the behavior of the tobacco industry – producing, marketing, and selling addictive products that kill when use as intended – violates human rights, such as the right to health, that have been recognized at the highest level through
2020 ASH Annual Report Released The year 2020 brought much-needed attention to social justice and placed the right to health front and center in global public health. In a matter of months, we saw the world come to a halt because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, a pandemic
148 Organizations, Universities, and Cancer Centers Call for an End to Combustible Tobacco Sales ASH and 147 organizations released an open letter calling on governments around the world to not only envision ending the tobacco epidemic but put in place concrete plans to make it happen. Not someday, or by
Another Legal Blow to Big Tobacco On March 29, 2021, Judge Janis Sammartino of the U.S. District Court for Southern California dashed the hopes of R.J. Reynolds and other plaintiffs seeking to overturn San Diego’s ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products. In a sometimes tersely-worded decision, Judge Sammartino
As of January 1st, Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach, California, became the only jurisdictions in the U.S. to eliminate the sale of commercial tobacco, although other jurisdictions are seriously considering it. Both cities included a phase-out period to allow retailers to adjust and to help people who smoke quit. “Cigarettes
In August, ASH welcomed a new staffer to the team, Carol Maytum (pictured top right). She is based out of Sacramento, California and gives us boots on the ground for the West Coast! Carol is a veteran tobacco control advocate who will lead our California Pilot Program to promote the
This June, ASH joined forces with the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) and Pollock Cohen LLP to sue the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over their inaction on menthol cigarettes. “By continuing to delay, the FDA and the U.S. government are failing to protect the health of U.S.
On Thursday, April 2, 2020, ASH hosted a live webinar with Dr. Carolyn Dresler to address the nexus between the tobacco epidemic, human rights and the coronavirus. The discussion focused on the additional risk tobacco users face during the pandemic, the human rights implications for tobacco users as we respond
“The tobacco industry has been lurking in the shadows of U.S. public health policy for decades. They not only sell deadly products; they fight lawmakers’ efforts to save lives. This first U.S. Interference Index shines a light on their meddling behind closed doors and gives states and localities new tools
On August 23, 2019, the 1st death from vaping was reported in the U.S. Since then, the CDC and FDA have been working tirelessly through a new taskforce to determine the cause(s) of the now 26 deaths and over 1,299 reported cases of lung injury (as of October 10, 2019).
