These budget cuts have led to the elimination of critical agencies like the CDC's Office of Smoking and Health and the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, undermining vital tobacco prevention initiatives such as the 'Tips from Former Smokers' campaign and youth vaping prevention efforts.

The 'Tips from Former Smokers' campaign, which has prevented nearly 130,000 premature deaths and saved $7.3 billion in healthcare costs over six years, is now at risk due to reduced funding and staffing, with seven states losing or reducing quit line support.

Public health experts emphasize the importance of tobacco health equity research and are calling on stakeholders to take action to preserve progress and combat health disparities related to tobacco use.

The NIH has experienced approximately $2 billion in terminated research grants and a $783 million cut to diversity and inclusion research, disproportionately impacting projects focused on minority and sexual/gender minority health, including tobacco and health disparities research.

A recent commentary in Nicotine and Tobacco Research warns that these federal budget cuts threaten to undermine ongoing progress in tobacco control efforts across the United States.

Recent layoffs at the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products and the removal of support for youth tobacco prevention campaigns threaten to reverse decades of progress in reducing tobacco use and addressing health disparities, especially among marginalized communities.