CDC Cuts Anti-Smoking Ad Funds to $40 Million as Quit-Line Calls Drop 25%
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 6
CDC Cuts Anti-Smoking Ad Funds to $40 Million as Quit-Line Calls Drop 25%
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 6
Summary
$40 million is all the CDC has recently offered states to air archived anti-smoking ads, down from the usual $65 million, while it will not make new spots or buy national airtime.
The pullback followed the shutdown of the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health and the lapse of the 14-year Tips From Former Smokers campaign around September 2025, even after Congress later restored some funding.
Quit-line use has fallen sharply since the ads went dark: calls at Quit for Life dropped 25% in the first half of 2026, with declines of about 45% in Texas, 25% in California and 18% in New York.
The retreat has coincided with tobacco industry lobbying and policy wins, including a new federal approach that could open the market to more flavored e-cigarettes after a $5 million donation tied to Trump-related groups.
Public health experts say the campaign had driven more than 16 million quit attempts, 1 million successful quits and $7.3 billion in health-care savings, underscoring a reversal in long-bipartisan anti-smoking policy.
As federal support wanes, who now bears the cost and responsibility for helping Americans quit smoking?
With smoking rates at a historic low, are federal anti-smoking campaigns still a necessary public health tool?
Can promoting vaping as a safer alternative effectively replace traditional government anti-smoking campaigns?
CDC’s “Tips From Former Smokers” Campaign Ends: Funding Cuts Threaten Decades of Declining Smoking Rates and Billions in Savings
Overview
The CDC's 'Tips From Former Smokers' campaign ended in September 2025 after 13 impactful years. This campaign stood out by sharing real stories from people living with the serious health effects of smoking, motivating many smokers to try quitting and connecting them to resources like the 1-800-QUIT-NOW helpline. Its effectiveness led to record-low smoking rates and saved billions in healthcare costs. However, federal funding cuts and the closure of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health forced the campaign to end, raising concerns that progress in reducing smoking may be lost and that many smokers will lose vital support.