(USDHHS 2010a), provides a critical framework to
guide and coordinate efforts to reduce the smoking rate
to less than 10% for both youth and adults in 10 years,
averting millions of smoking-related deaths. This national
commitment will require increased and sustained action
to rapidly eliminate the use of cigarettes and other forms
of combustible tobacco products. As end game strategies
are being developed, the following actions should be
implemented:
• Counteracting industry marketing by sustaining
high impact national media campaigns like the
CDC’s Tips from Former Smokers campaign and
FDA’s youth prevention campaigns at a high frequency
level and exposure for 12 months a year for
a decade or more;
• Raising the average excise cigarette taxes to prevent
youth from starting smoking and encouraging
smokers to quit;
• Fulfilling the opportunity of the Affordable Care Act
to provide access to barrier-free proven tobacco use
cessation treatment including counseling and medication
to all smokers, especially those with significant
mental and physical comorbidities;
• Expanding smoking cessation for all smokers in primary
and specialty care settings by having health
care providers and systems examine how they can
establish a strong standard of care for these effective
treatments;
• Effective implementation of FDA’s authority for
tobacco product regulation in order to reduce
tobacco product addictiveness and harmfulness;
• Expanding tobacco control and prevention research
efforts to increase understanding of the ever changing
tobacco control landscape;
• Fully funding comprehensive statewide tobacco
control programs at CDC recommended levels; and
• Extending comprehensive smokefree indoor protections
to 100% of the U.S. population.