Key facts
- The CDC's Office on Smoking and Health has been shut down for over a year.
- Calls to 1-800-QUIT-NOW quit-smoking hotlines have plummeted.
- The Trump administration terminated a contract for the National Youth Tobacco Survey.
- States may lose $90 million in annual CDC funding for tobacco control initiatives.
- Low- and middle-income countries are at risk of losing the ability to conduct youth tobacco surveys.
The Trump administration's budget cuts have led to the closure of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health for over a year, significantly impacting anti-smoking efforts. This shutdown has resulted in the cessation of prominent public health campaigns, causing a dramatic decrease in calls to quit-smoking hotlines. Furthermore, the administration's actions have jeopardized crucial youth tobacco surveys, both within the U.S. and in low- and middle-income countries that rely on this data for their own tobacco control strategies. The termination of a five-year contract for the National Youth Tobacco Survey and the potential loss of approximately $90 million in annual funding for state-level prevention initiatives are critical consequences. Health officials warn that the resulting data gaps will create an environment conducive to tobacco industry growth, particularly as new nicotine products enter the market. Experts highlight that reduced tobacco control work correlates with increased tobacco-related disease, death, and healthcare costs.