Blog

2014: A Historic Year in the Fight Against Tobacco

December 31, 2014

From CVS’s bold decision to end tobacco sales to once-unimaginable progress in countries such as Russia, India and China that have the world’s highest rates of tobacco use, 2014 has been a truly historic and pivotal year in the fight against tobacco.

As 2014 winds down, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids celebrates the achievements of the past year, and we renew our commitment to ending the tobacco epidemic in the United States and around the world. We are grateful to our many partners and supporters who are committed to making the next generation tobacco-free.

Here’s a quick snapshot of 2014.

U.S. Highlights

• CVS stops selling tobacco.
  CVS Health ended the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products at its 7,700 stores, becoming the first national pharmacy chain to do so. In October, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids launched our Tobacco-Free Retailers campaign urging other retailers to stop selling tobacco and empowering consumers to shop tobacco-free.

• New U.S. Surgeon General’s Report finds cigarettes are deadlier than ever.
  In January 2014, the U.S. marked the 50th anniversary of the first Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health and celebrated enormous progress – smoking rates have been cut by more than half and 8 million lives have been saved in the past 50 years. But the Surgeon General’s 50th anniversary report documented the huge challenges that remain, finding that smoking causes even more diseases, kills even more people and costs even more in medical bills than previously reported. Stunningly, it found that cigarettes today are more deadly than they were 50 years ago.
  
  

• Adult and youth smoking rates fall to record lows in the U.S.
  In 2013, smoking rates fell to 17.8 percent among adults and 15.7 percent among high school students, both record lows. Since peaking in 1997, the high school smoking rate has dropped by 57 percent.

• Health groups push for FDA regulation of e-cigarettes and cigars.
  While youth cigarette smoking has dropped, youth e-cigarette use has grown rapidly, and the first 2014 survey found that more teens reported recent use of e-cigarettes than traditional cigarettes. Youth cigar smoking also remains high, with one survey showing that high school boys now smoke cigars at higher rates than cigarettes. These products are not yet regulated by the FDA, allowing them to use youth-oriented marketing and sweet flavors now banned for cigarettes. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and other public health groups are urging the FDA to strengthen and finalize its proposed rule to regulate all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and cigars, by April 2015.

• Unprecedented media campaigns aim to prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit.
  2014 brought the strongest national media campaigns ever launched to reduce tobacco use in the U.S., including the third year of the CDC’s Tips from Former Smokers campaign, the FDA’s new The Real Cost campaign to prevent youth tobacco use and Legacy’s reinvigorated truth® campaign that empowers young people to end smoking for good. A new study showed the CDC’s Tips campaign has been very cost-effective at getting smokers to quit. Unfortunately, most states are failing to do their part. This year, the states will collect $25.6 billion from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend less than two percent of it on tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

International Highlights

• Beijing is going smoke-free.
  Beijing in November adopted a historic tobacco control law that will require smoke-free indoor public places, workplaces and public transport and also bans most forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. It sets the stage for adoption of strong national legislation in China, which has more smokers than any other country.

• Russia implements comprehensive tobacco control law.
  Russia this year finished implementing its new tobacco control law, which requires smoke-free public places; bans all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; prohibits point-of-sale tobacco displays; and limits where tobacco products can be sold. It’s a giant step in the world’s second largest cigarette market.

• Brazil becomes the world’s largest smoke-free country.
  Overcoming fierce tobacco industry opposition, Brazil this month implemented its three-year-old tobacco control law, making Brazil the world’s most populous smoke-free country. The law also bans point-of-sale tobacco ads and strengthens cigarette warnings.

• Senegal enacts comprehensive tobacco control law.
  The law bans tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; requires graphic health warnings covering 70 percent of the pack; and includes strong provisions regarding smoke-free public places. It sets a powerful example for Africa, which has been targeted by the tobacco industry as a growth market.

• New report exposes global Marlboro marketing campaign that targets youth.
  The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and global partners exposed how Philip Morris International’s “Be Marlboro” campaign has spread to over 50 countries despite being found by a German court to target youth. We have called for an end to this marketing campaign, which uses themes and images that clearly appeal to youth.

• Graphic cigarette warnings spread worldwide. A September report by the Canadian Cancer Society found that 77 countries have finalized graphic cigarette warnings, up from 55 countries by the end of 2012 and just one country – Canada – in 2001. India this year vaulted into first place – tied with Thailand – for the largest tobacco health warnings by mandating warnings covering 85 percent of the front and back of tobacco packages. Other countries taking action this year included Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Despite this progress, tobacco is still the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S. and worldwide. It kills 480,000 Americans each year and is projected to kill one billion people worldwide this century without strong action now. And the tobacco industry remains as aggressive as ever in pushing its deadly and addictive products.

In 2015, we look forward to continuing the fight to save lives and make tobacco history.