Our impact

A California without Big Tobacco isn’t just possible – it’s already happening.12

We’ve made a lot of progress towards ending the tobacco industry’s deadly influence in the last 30 years.345 But the fight’s not over.

Californians have worked with UNDO to stand up against Big Tobacco – we have achieved landmark wins and ushered in realities previously considered impossible. Most importantly, our collective action has saved more than one million lives. 6789 And today, California has the third-lowest adult smoking and lowest youth vaping rates in the U.S.10

Since 1989, when UNDO began, our work has empowered local communities to establish policies that affect the use of tobacco products, reduce tobacco sales, and prevent young people from getting addicted. Together, we’ve protected our communities from secondhand smoke, dramatically reduced lung cancer rates, reduced smoking rates faster than the rest of the U.S., pioneered ways to help people quit smoking, ended the sale of flavored tobacco, and done so much more.111213141516

We’ve also hurt the tobacco industry where it matters most: their pocketbooks. We’ve kept more than $51.4 billion out of the tobacco industry’s pockets – saving Californians a staggering $500 billion in healthcare costs.17

In over three decades of work together, UNDO has shown that we have the power to shape our future in California – not the tobacco industry. 

A California without Big Tobacco isn’t just possible – it’s already happening.12

Our work has made an impact

Lowest

youth vaping rate in the US10

2nd state

to end the sale of most flavored tobacco products18

3rd lowest

adult smoking rate in the US with a 60% decrease in the adult smoking rate1019

2 California cities

have ended the sale of tobacco products12

42% decrease

in lung cancer rates in California12

1 million +

lives saved6789

$500 billion

saved in healthcare costs17

$51.4 billion

kept out of the tobacco industry’s pockets and 15.7 billion fewer packs of cigarettes sold over the past 30 years17

71% decline

in flavored e-cigarette and 95% decrease in menthol cigarette sales in 20232021
Manhattan Beach wins years-long fight against Big Tobacco

Manhattan Beach ends the sale of all tobacco products

City officials and residents teamed up to take on the tobacco industry. Together, they ended the sale of tobacco products in their community for good.

Community wins over the tobacco industry

Humboldt County adopts tobacco retail licensing policy

Humboldt County leveraged community, partnership, and data to pass a Tobacco Retail Licensing (TRL) ordinance and improve their community’s health.

Protecting low-income communities from tobacco harms

Smoke-free public housing: Helping people who smoke quit in San Francisco

Agencies, health professionals, and locals worked together to improve health outcomes and provide cessation services to residents in public housing.

a beach with buildings and water
a river running through a forest
a woman in a car

Big Tobacco is targeting us. So we’re targeting them back.”

LAYLA, GALIA, and LIZZIE — SAN DIEGO, CA

Three high schoolers channel their outrage about nicotine harms into anti-tobacco advocacy.

When I quit smoking, I committed to something bigger.”

KEENAN — COMPTON, CA

A father, chef, and Compton Cowboy honors his mom, who died from a tobacco-related illness, by breaking the cycle of family nicotine addiction.

It became really embarrassing to be the only one smoking.”

FRANKIE — LOS ANGELES, CA

Frankie uses cigarettes to help her fit in – and quits when her addiction leaves her feeling like an outcast.

Join the UNDO social community

Follow along and engage with our channels for inspiring content, resources, and more.

Follow us

Explore

Our mission

A California without Big Tobacco isn’t just possible – it’s already happening.12 Together, we’re undoing the tobacco industry’s epidemic.

Our work

Our work brings together concerned Californians who want to protect their community and families from Big Tobacco’s epidemic. From research to community engagement tactics, we’re giving Californians the tools to fight the industry.

Our progress

We’ve taken bold action and made progress towards ending the tobacco industry’s influence in the last 30 years.345 But the fight’s not over.

Explore the tobacco industry’s damage

The tobacco industry currently spends billions each year on slick marketing tactics and political influence so they can profit off death and disease.2223

Learn more

Arrow right

Even for people who don’t use tobacco, there can be deadly consequences.24

Learn more

Arrow right

The industry calls kids their “replacement customers.”25 Big Tobacco sentences them to a lifetime of addiction and disease.

Learn more

Arrow right

This racist and unjust industry has strategically targeted certain communities with deadly products and manipulative messaging.26

Learn more

Arrow right

No one’s safe from the environmental damage and health risks from toxic tobacco waste and its plastic pollution.27282930313233

Learn more

Arrow right

Protect the people and places you love

It only takes a moment to add your voice to the fight and protect Californians from the tobacco industry’s harms.

Send a letter

Voicing your concerns to local officials makes a difference.

Send a tweet

Together CA is undoing Big Tobacco’s deadly epidemic. We can:

  • Ensure kids grow up w/out the industry’s poison
  • End deadly secondhand smoke exposure for good
  • Eliminate tobacco product toxic waste in our communities
  • Ensure diverse communities aren’t exploited
a woman and a girl posing for a picture
about-us/impact
UNDO logo
www.undo.org/
UNDO
UNDO fights Big Tobacco's deadly epidemic with bold campaigns for healthier California communities.
Facebook logoX iconMail iconWhatsapp iconCopy link
Link to section has been copied
Close

Send a letter

Close modal
Enter your name and select your location. Then click OPEN MY EMAIL to send the note below.
Dear Mayor,
My name is
from
When California leads, the rest of the country follows. When it comes to fighting Big Tobacco’s deadly epidemic, our state is no exception. In the past few decades, we’ve cut the adult smoking rate by over 60%, achieved the lowest youth vaping rate in the county, slashed lung cancer rates by 42%, and saved over one million Californians from tobacco-related deaths. Two California cities have already created healthier communities by ending the sale of tobacco products.

Despite monumental progress, Big Tobacco remains an urgent threat to our community’s health, particularly for kids. The tobacco industry has doubled down on their business model of making a profit by getting young people addicted to nicotine with products like vapes and oral nicotine pouches. They target our kids online and through social media tricking them into thinking nicotine is harmless. And even though California has the lowest youth vaping rate in the US, vapes are the most used tobacco products with 6% of high school youth currently vaping and use of oral nicotine pouches among California high school youth nearly doubled in one year.

Now is the moment to break the cycle of destruction Big Tobacco causes in our families and community—and we need your help. We have the power to create a better future for our kids, and it starts with keeping Big Tobacco from targeting them with addiction, disease, and death. With your leadership we can undo Big Tobacco’s deadly epidemic.

Sincerely,

34484

Success! You will be contacted by email with more information.
Hidden editable content
Single recipient salutation
Dear Mayor,
Single recipient salutation suffix
Multiple recipient salutation
To whom it may concern,
Multiple recipient salutation suffix
Mail Single recipient salutation
Dear mayor,
Mail Single recipient salutation suffix
Mail Multiple recipient salutation
To whom it may concern,
Mail Multiple recipient salutation suffix
Mail Subject
Stop the tobacco industry from destroying the people and places I love
Mail body
When California leads, the rest of the country follows. When it comes to fighting Big Tobacco’s deadly epidemic, our state is no exception. In the past few decades, we’ve cut the adult smoking rate by over 60%, achieved the lowest youth vaping rate in the county, slashed lung cancer rates by 42%, and saved over one million Californians from tobacco-related deaths. Two California cities have already created healthier communities by ending the sale of tobacco products.

Despite monumental progress, Big Tobacco remains an urgent threat to our community’s health, particularly for kids. The tobacco industry has doubled down on their business model of making a profit by getting young people addicted to nicotine with products like vapes and oral nicotine pouches. They target our kids online and through social media tricking them into thinking nicotine is harmless. And even though California has the lowest youth vaping rate in the US, vapes are the most used tobacco products with 6% of high school youth currently vaping and use of oral nicotine pouches among California high school youth nearly doubled in one year.

Now is the moment to break the cycle of destruction Big Tobacco causes in our families and community—and we need your help. We have the power to create a better future for our kids, and it starts with keeping Big Tobacco from targeting them with addiction, disease, and death. With your leadership, we can undo Big Tobacco’s deadly epidemic.
Signoff label
Sincerely,
My name label
My name is
From label
from
From label suffix
Success heading text
You've joined {count} others who have contacted local officials statewide. Making your voice heard makes a difference. Thank you!
Close modal