The nation has made tremendous progress in reducing tobacco use over the past 40 years. Despite extensive knowledge about successful interventions to reduce tobacco use, approximately one-quarter of American adults still smokes.  Tobacco-related illnesses and death place a huge burden on our society. 

A committee at the Institute of Medicine will examine which prevention and treatment interventions are most promising to reduce tobacco use further, the barriers to action, and which policies need to be changed or adopted. The committee will also explore the benefits to society of fully implementing effective tobacco control interventions and policies. 

The committee's recommendations will be broad reaching, targeting federal, state, local, non-profit and for-profit entities. The purpose of this committee is to generate a blueprint for the nation in the struggle to reduce tobacco use.