Office on Smoking and Health

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OFFICE ON SMOKING AND HEALTH

Federal legislative acts since 1965 have accorded regulatory responsibility to the administrative branch of the U.S. government in relation to tobacco advertising, labeling, public education, and reporting to Congress on tobacco sales, marketing practices, and ingredients. These responsibilities were assigned to the Office of Smoking and Health when it was created within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health in 1978. The office's authority was transferred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1986 and placed within the National Center for Chronic Disease Control and Health Promotion in 1988.

The mission of the office is to lead and coordinate strategic efforts aimed at preventing tobacco use among youths, promoting smoking cessation among youth and young adults, protecting nonsmokers from environmental tobacco smoke, and eliminating health disparities associated with tobacco. These goals are accomplished through efforts to expand the science of tobacco control, build capacity in states and organizations to conduct tobacco-control programs, communicate information to constituents and to the public, facilitate action with and among partners, and provide technical assistance to the global community.

Lawrence W. Green

(see also: Environmental Tobacco Smoke; Smoking Cessation; Tobacco Control )

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