Summary
Tobacco control efforts represent some of the public health field’s most effective prevention efforts. Policy changes such as tax increases and restricting smoking in public spaces and work places has shifted norms around tobacco use and saved many lives, while reducing costs associated with medical treatment for tobacco-related illness. Prevention Institute staff and leadership have not only played important roles in these efforts — from passing cutting-edge smoke-free policies at the local level in communities throughout the U.S. to waging international tobacco control communications and policy advocacy programs — but also regularly apply the lessons learned through tobacco prevention to other pressing public health problems.