A federal campaign that played a central role in reducing tobacco use in the United States has largely been dismantled under the Trump administration, raising concerns among public health advocates about setbacks in efforts to combat smoking-related illness and death.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign, which ran for 14 years and featured graphic advertisements highlighting the severe health consequences of smoking, was widely credited with prompting millions of smokers to attempt quitting. Research from 2012 to 2018 linked the campaign to over 16 million quit attempts and an estimated $7.3 billion in health care savings. However, the initiative went off the air in September 2025 and has not been fully revived since.

The decision to halt new ads coincided with organizational changes at the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, which managed the campaign and provided technical support to state tobacco control programs. The office was effectively shuttered more than a year ago after staff were laid off amid broader government downsizing. Although Congress restored its funding late last year, most staff remain on paid leave as ongoing litigation over the firings continues.

States have seen sharp reductions in funding and support. The CDC significantly cut annual tobacco control funding to states starting in early 2025, leading many state programs to reduce their own personnel and services. While the CDC recently offered $40 million—down from the usual $65 million—to air archived campaign ads, it has not committed to creating or distributing new advertisements.

The impact on quit lines has been significant. Several states reported steep declines in calls to 1-800-QUIT-NOW following the campaign’s suspension, with drops ranging from 18 percent in New York to 45 percent in Texas and 25 percent in states served by the Quit for Life network. These quit lines typically see a 30 percent surge in calls immediately after ad campaigns, underscoring the direct link between the advertising and demand for cessation services.

Public health officials have expressed frustration at the developments, noting that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., accounting for about 490,000 premature deaths annually. “It’s crazy that they have cut this funding if they really want to save lives and save money,” said Sally Herndon, who led North Carolina’s tobacco control program until her recent retirement.

The Trump administration’s moves have coincided with increased lobbying by tobacco companies, which have sought regulatory changes that could expand the market for vaping and flavored nicotine products. For instance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently proposed regulations that would allow certain flavored e-cigarettes to remain on the market, despite objections from some public health officials, including former FDA commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, who cited the policy as a reason for his resignation in May.

Critics argue the administration’s actions undermine longstanding efforts to reduce tobacco use and appear to favor the industry. Brian King, a former leader at the FDA’s tobacco division, described the FDA’s new regulatory approach as “a gift to the tobacco industry on a silver platter with a side of public health malpractice.”

The Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Emily Hilliard stated that the CDC remains committed to tobacco prevention through “outreach, education and surveillance,” though the scale and effectiveness of these efforts compared to the previous campaign remain uncertain.

As the debate over tobacco control policies continues, public health experts warn that reduced investment in proven cessation programs and prevention efforts could stall or reverse progress in lowering smoking rates across the country.