PATRICK T. FALLON|AFP via Getty Images

Flavored vaping e-cigarette products are displayed in a convenience store in El Segundo, California.

For decades, the United States made real progress against the leading cause of preventable death: smoking. Strong public policies, sustained investment in prevention and clear public health messaging helped drive smoking rates down from 42.6% in 1965 to 9.1% in 2025, saving millions of lives in the process.

But that progress is at risk. The war against Big Tobacco is not over – and in many ways, it is becoming more complicated and more difficult to win.

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Today, we are seeing warning signs of a retreat in tobacco control efforts and a resurgence of cultural acceptance that demand attention. At a time when more flavored products and products with higher nicotine concentrations are hitting the market, federal agencies tasked with monitoring tobacco usage are being gutted. At the same time, these deadly products are finding their way back into the hands of celebrities and young influencers who are promoting them to their millions of followers. When prevention weakens and accountability slips, dire consequences follow.

The stakes could not be........

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