With mental health increasingly becoming a topic of discussion, Tobacco Free Florida is launching Mental Health Equals Mental Wealth to inform about tobacco’s disproportionate impact on people diagnosed with mental and behavioral health conditions, educate about the benefits of quitting and highlight the free cessation support for people looking to improve their mental health and wellness. In May, Mental Health Awareness Month explores ways to achieve positive change, a major discussion in this area can be the importance of quitting tobacco for good. THE FACTS MENTAL HEALTH... Tob ..read more

Tobacco Free Florida is celebrating 15 years of success as Florida’s tobacco education, cessation and use prevention program. Launched in 2007, Tobacco Free Florida provides free services to help Floridians quit smoking and funds a media outreach campaign to communicate with people all across the state. A program of the Florida Department of Health, Tobacco Free Florida was created in response to overwhelming support by Florida voters and is funded by money derived from the state’s tobacco settlement agreement with the major tobacco companies. These tobacco lawsuits were intended to punish ..read more

Under federal law, including Section 910(b) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act, any company looking to launch and market a new tobacco product in the United States must submit a Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Passed in 2007, the regulation also applies to any existing tobacco product that undergoes any change in design, ingredients or components. The PMTA process was put in place to assess the potential negative public health impact of new products such as e-cigarettes. PMTA s ..read more

  On October 1, 2021, Florida implemented a new statewide law raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco and nicotine products from 18 to 21 years of age. The move brings Florida in line with existing federal laws. It is also an important step for public health. Research shows raising the legal age to buy tobacco and nicotine can reduce the number of youth and young adults who start smoking, showing immediate health benefits, and decreasing the eventual number of smoking-related deaths.[1] Many believe that smoking is an adult choice, yet nearly nine out of 10 smokers in the U.S. start b ..read more

The tobacco industry is constantly inventing and reinventing products, designed to keep customers addicted to a substance that kills if used as intended. Their latest attempt is heated tobacco products, which are creeping their way into the market, gaining the attention of tobacco users and attracting new customers.[i] Heated tobacco products, also known as “heat-not-burn products,” heat processed tobacco leaf which allows users to inhale nicotine into their lungs.[i] These products heat at various temperatures, contain dry, moist, or liquid ingredients, and appear in a wide variety of sty ..read more

With social justice issues being at the forefront of recent public discussion, Tobacco Free Florida is launching Uproot the Truth to inform individuals about tobacco’s devastating effect on the state’s Black population, unearthing the root causes of this important public health issue.   Note: Tobacco Free Florida uses both Black and African American in content. To maintain accuracy, the term used matches the original data source, since communities and populations vary. THE ORIGIN Big Tobacco’s targeting has had lasting negative consequences on the Black community. Tobacco companies have ..read more

The cigarette smoking rate has seen a huge drop over the years. In the 1950’s nearly half of all Americans had smoked cigarettes, today it’s fewer than 1 out of every 6 adults.[1][2] This drop has come as we learn more about the health risks posed by cigarettes, as well as new rules on how tobacco companies can advertise the products. But while the smoking rate has dropped, over the same time we’ve seen another disturbing trend: the sale of flavored cigars continues to climb.[3] Flavored cigars are usually sold as cigarillos or little cigars. Cigarillos are short, narrow cigars. They’re u ..read more

  Sispann fimen pwodui tabak se youn nan pi bon bagay ou te ka fè pou sante ou. Pwodui tabak se toujou premye kòz maladi ak lanmò moun te ka evite Etazini, men bon nouvèl la sèke sante ou kòmanse amelyore nan kèk èdtan apre ou sispann fimen. Pi bonè ou kite, pi bonè kò ou ka kòmanse geri. Tobacco Free Florida ofri resous GRATIS ki ka ogmante chans ou pou ou kite fimen pou tout bon. Sispann Fimen nan Telefòn – pale ak yon Antrenè pou Sispann Fimen sou pakou ou pou sispann fimen pwodui tabak. Antrenè pou Sispann Fimen yo disponib 24 sou 24, 7 jou sou 7. Sèvis sa a disponib an kreyòl gra ..read more

Gen kèk nouvèl ki sòti pa twò lontan ki t ap pale sou koneksyon ki kapab genyen nan fimen sigarèt ak  COVID-19. Kominote syantifik ak medikal la ap aprann plis sou konsekans fimen sigarèt genyen sou sante parapò ak COVID-19, sanble ta gen rezon pou nou gen kè kase. Lè ou fimen oswa ou te konn fimen sa ogmante risk pou w malad grav ak COVID-19.1 COVID-19 se yon maladi respiratwa ki kapab pwopaje sòti nan yon moun ale nan yon lòt. An jeneral, moun ki fimen gen pi gwo risk pou trape enfeksyon nan poumon ak nan pwatrin.2 Moun ki fimen gen pi gwo risk pou mouri ak enfeksyon respiratwa tan ..read more

Although the increase in youth e-cigarette use rates have slowed down, 25.6% of high schoolers and 9.1% of middle schoolers are still using e-cigarettes.[1] Progress has been made, but the stakes are still high. It’s time to take action to end this epidemic. Check out some tips below on how you can get involved!   Tobacco Free Florida Youth and Vaping page EndTeenVapingFL.gov Surgeon General Report on E-Cigarettes and Young People Centers for Disease Control and Prevention E-Cigarette Facts AASA, the School Superintendents Association Roadmap for School Administrators Food and Dru ..read more