Cuts to FDA and CDC Tobacco Programs Will Benefit Tobacco Industry at the Expense of Kids and Lives
Statement of Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
April 01, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The mass layoffs announced today at the FDA, the CDC and other health agencies, including at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products and the CDC’s Office of Smoking and Health, will cause enormous harm to the nation’s health and set back efforts to protect kids and save lives from tobacco use, which remains the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. The CDC’s Office of Smoking and Health may have been eliminated entirely. These agencies lead the nation’s efforts to protect kids from tobacco addiction, help tobacco users quit and reduce tobacco’s devastating toll in health, lives and health care costs. Only the tobacco industry benefits from decimating these efforts. More broadly, these mass layoffs and removal of key public health leaders will hollow out the nation’s public health infrastructure and eliminate knowledge and expertise that are critical to keeping Americans healthy and safe.
The gutting of these agencies conflicts with the repeatedly stated commitments of President Trump and Secretary Kennedy to reduce chronic disease and protect children’s health. We cannot achieve these goals and make America healthy if our nation backs off its efforts to reduce tobacco use. Smoking is a primary driver of chronic disease, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, COPD and diabetes. In fact, it is the top cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., responsible for about 30% of all cancer deaths. In addition, e-cigarettes remain a serious threat to the health of our kids, exposing kids to massive doses of highly addictive nicotine, which can harm developing brains, and to toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, lead and benzene. The work of the FDA and the CDC is critical to protecting kids from these products.
It is inexplicable and especially harmful that these cuts are coming at a time when the FDA should be redoubling its enforcement efforts against the many illegal, flavored e-cigarette products that have entered our country from overseas and put kids at risk. These cuts will make it easier for unscrupulous companies to continue targeting our kids with illegal, flavored and highly addictive e-cigarettes. Furthermore, cuts to the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products will not save taxpayers money as the center is funded with user fees paid by the tobacco industry.
While the U.S. has made enormous progress, tobacco use still kills nearly half a million Americans and costs the nation $241 billion in health care expenses each year. Tobacco companies never let up in finding new ways to addict kids and keep current customers hooked. The fight against tobacco must remain a national priority in order to protect children, save lives, fight chronic disease and keep America healthy.