Most Americans back feds' anti-smoking ads: poll
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Almost 3 in 4 Americans support government public awareness campaigns to discourage smoking and efforts to track the effectiveness of the messages, according to an Ipsos poll.
Why it matters: This spring's sweeping layoffs at Health and Human Services eliminated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health, which was behind the "Tips From Former Smokers" ad campaign that's been credited with reducing premature deaths and the cost of treating smoking-related illness.
- Ongoing federal anti-smoking efforts include the Food and Drug Administration's "The Real Cost" campaign targeted at youths.
By the numbers: 72% of those Ipsos surveyed said agencies like the CDC and FDA should measure and improve the effectiveness of campaigns, while 24% said the government should focus on cutting costs and eliminating programs.
- 93% said they had seen a "Tips From Former Smokers" ad, which feature at times graphic accounts of real people's experiences with smoking-related diseases or exposure to secondhand smoke.
- 76% of respondents said efforts behind ads encouraging people not to smoke should be kept as is or strengthened.
- 71% said the same for ads encouraging people to get vaccinated, while 79% backed maintaining or strengthening efforts to encourage people to eat healthily.
The June survey of 1,015 adults found support for anti-smoking ads cut across the political spectrum, with strong majorities of self-described DOGE and MAGA supporters saying they should be strengthened or left as is.
- "There is a belief that health is a public good and that this is a public service," said Mallory Newall, Ipsos vice president for U.S. public affairs. "People see these campaigns as an important part of the toolkit."
- Ipsos has had research contracts with the CDC and evaluated government anti-smoking campaigns.
