National Cancer Policy Board, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council

About the author: The National Cancer Policy Board, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council are affiliated with the National Academy of Sciences, a private, nonprofit academy of scholars dedicated to the advancement of science and technology.

State tobacco control programs are an effective means of reducing smoking among people of all ages. The more multifaceted these programs are, the greater their levels of success and the more lives saved in the process. Some state-run antismoking initiatives that have proven especially effective include aggressive counteradvertising and education programs, smoke-free worksite policies, tax increases on tobacco products, and support of tobacco treatment programs. Youth access laws that prevent the sale of tobacco products to youths, however, are in need of greater merchant compliance before they can be deemed successful. All...