Congressional Appropriators Take Key Step to Protect Public Health by Funding CDC’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program

Congressional Appropriators Take Key Step to Protect Public Health by Funding CDC's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program

Statement of Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
January 21, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders have taken a critical step to protect public health and save lives by reaching bipartisan agreement on an FY 2026 funding package that includes level funding of $246.5 million for the CDC's tobacco prevention and control program. This agreement, which includes funding for the Department of Health and Human Services, also maintains necessary investments to prevent chronic diseases and address other major public health threats.

This agreement demonstrates the bipartisan Congressional support for the CDC's tobacco control program, which plays a vital role in protecting kids from the harms of tobacco use and helping adult smokers quit. The elimination of funding would only benefit the tobacco industry whose products sicken and kill. The CDC tobacco control program is the only dedicated source of federal funding for state tobacco prevention and cessation programs. It also provides critical support for quitlines and other services to help smokers quit, including the Tips from Former Smokers media campaign that has helped more than one million people quit and saved an estimated $7.3 billion in health care costs.

This bipartisan agreement recognizes both that the fight against tobacco use must remain a national priority and that the CDC plays an essential leadership role in this effort. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S., killing nearly 500,000 Americans every year and costing over $241 billion in annual health care expenses, more than 60% of which is paid by taxpayers through government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Cigarette smoking is a primary driver of chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, COPD and diabetes.

We applaud and thank the Appropriations Committee leaders who worked to reach this bipartisan agreement. We urge the House and Senate to quickly approve this legislation. It is also imperative that the Administration follow the law and spend these funds as appropriated by Congress.