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)
Media Contact: Megan Manning manningm@ash.org (202) 659-4310 The Maldives Passes National Phase Out of Tobacco Products WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 23, 2025 – On May 21, Maldives President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu made history by strengthening protections for his 525,994 citizens from the aggressive and deadly tobacco industry. President Muizzu ratified
Statement from Laurent Huber, Executive Director of Action on Smoking and Health, Supporting British Prime Minister’s Smoke-Free Generation Proposal October 4, 2023 Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) welcomes and applauds the announcement by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak detailing his government’s plans to introduce a bill forever banning the
As a surgeon for 21 years, I’ve seen the extensive, heartbreaking toll tobacco products take on the human body. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the world, claiming the lives of 480,000 Americans each year. Smoking is directly linked to over 13 different human cancers,
On October 17, 2022, the Massachusetts Superior Court granted a motion to dismiss filed by the City of Brookline against a lawsuit challenging their Tobacco-Free Generation (TFG) rule. Read the memo and order here> This first-in-the-nation TFG law disallows the sale of tobacco products to anyone born this century. This
There are only two examples of the Tobacco-Free Generation (TFG) policy in the world – Balanga City, Philippines (the law is enjoined pending a tobacco industry lawsuit) and Brookline, Massachusetts (not enjoined but also being sued by the industry). This represents a population of around 160,000; not a terribly large
Statement from Laurent Huber, Executive Director, Action on Smoking and Health Brookline, MA Becomes 1st City in the U.S. to Ban Tobacco Sales to Anyone Born in the 21st Century WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 19, 2021 – This morning Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey approved Brookline’s first-in-the-nation Tobacco Free Generation
Guest Author: Richard A. Daynard University Distinguished Professor of Law President, Public Health Advocacy Institute Northeastern Univeristy School of Law On November 19, 2020 the representative town meeting of the Town of Brookline, Massachusetts voted 139 – 78 to delete references to persons under 21, and add six new words,
This is a non-exhaustive list of scholarly writings on the subjects of tobacco control and human rights. General Human Rights Articles What is a Human-Rights Based Approach to Health and does it Matter? 2008- Leslie London A human rights approach to health is critical to address growing global health inequalities.
Tasmania, an Australian island off the Southern coast, is considering an historic step for tobacco control. The Legislative Council is currently considering a proposal called Tobacco Free Generation (TFG), which would increase the minimum legal age to buy tobacco products every year, eventually phasing out the sale of tobacco products
