Across the United States, more and more communities are taking action to protect their residents from the deadly, manipulative tactics of the tobacco industry. What was once considered an ambitious vision—the tobacco endgame—is rapidly becoming a reality at the local level.
In Massachusetts, 19 towns (as of November 5, 2025) have adopted Nicotine-Free Generation (NFG) policies. These groundbreaking measures prevent the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to anyone born after a certain year, effectively creating a future generation free from nicotine addiction. With additional towns expected to follow, Massachusetts is leading the nation in this transformative approach to a tobacco-free future.
Across the U.S., cities are exploring and implementing additional endgame policy strategies. Three cities in California have completely ended the sale of all tobacco products, starting with Beverly Hills, which adopted its policy in 2019 and implemented it in 2021. The third California town, Tiburon, finalized its sales ban on November 5, 2025, and will go into effect December 1, 2025.
Three towns in Minnesota and one in New York are phasing out tobacco retail licenses, further shrinking the availability of products that addict and kill.
Globally, the momentum continues. The United Kingdom’s Tobacco-Free Generation Bill has passed the House of Commons and is expected to be finalized this year, and a similar Nicotine-Free Generation Bill is pending in South Australia. Together, these efforts signal a growing international consensus that protecting young people from a deadly addiction must take precedence over tobacco industry profits.
Endgame policies share a common goal: to eliminate the sale of commercial tobacco products. It’s not radical to end tobacco sales—it’s radical that such deadly products are still sold at all.
Tobacco endgame policies are a common-sense, justice-driven response to decades of preventable harm. They represent a turning point: a commitment to protecting public health, correcting a deadly injustice, and building safe, healthy communities for generations to come.
