Last year the Trump Administration eliminated the CDC Office on Smoking and Health and fired the FDA Center for Tobacco Products leadership, paving the way for FDA to even more closely embrace the tobacco industry’s “harm reduction” marketing messages. OSH ran the effective “Tips from Former Smokers” advertising campaign, supports state health department tobacco control efforts, runs a media resource center to help states share anti-tobacco advertisements, prepares Surgeon General Reports, runs important surveys including the National Youth Tobacco Survey, and more.
Now, thanks to an effort led by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Congress has revived the Office on Smoking and Health, including level funding of $246.5 million for OSH in fiscal year (FY) 2026 (October 2025 through September 2026).
This is going to be particularly challenging because we are now nearly half way through FY 2026 and spending that money by September will be challenging, particularly given that all the people running the programs are gone and the whole Office will need to be rebuilt. The Administration also destroyed a lot of historical records, which will make rebuilding harder. This situation gives Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr a chance to fill it with people who will support his view that e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are a good thing.
And, if there is not time to spend the money, you can be sure the tobacco industry will be back next year arguing that Congress doesn’t need to appropriate more money.
While this is a huge victory, as TFK said in a fundraising email, “Now, our work begins to ensure the administration follows the law and uses this money as directed – to protect kids and save lives.”
Stanton Glantz blog 