Our top issues

In our fight to end youth and young adult nicotine addiction, we focus on the issues that matter most. We constantly monitor the latest topics and trends in commercial tobacco and substance use.

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Who we are

At Truth Initiative, we envision a future free from nicotine addiction—a future that fosters healthier lives and a more resilient nation. We are the nation’s largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing youth and young adult nicotine addiction and empowering quitting for all.

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Research & resources

Get the latest facts and analyses on the most important issues related to smoking, vaping, nicotine and substance use.

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What we do

By driving behavior and policy change, we prevent addiction, increase quitting, reduce nicotine dependence, and expand cessation support and access. All backed by rigorous research and evaluation.

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Join us in preventing youth and young adult nicotine addiction and empowering quitting for all. Learn about how you can help create a future free from nicotine addiction through activism, scholarships, studies, and more. Let’s work together.

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Outsmart Nicotine

Quitting is hard, but with the right support, anyone can break free from nicotine addiction – and they don’t have to go it alone. That’s the message behind Outsmart Nicotine, a national campaign from Truth Initiative that empowers young people to break the cycle of nicotine addiction for good with an enhanced EX Program.

Want to quit? You got this.

Despite a strong desire to quit, many young people are struggling and in need of proven resources and support. Outsmart Nicotine, an uplifting, multi-platform campaign designed to reach 18- to 24-year-olds, features science-backed tools, relatable storytelling, and a community of support. Our launch ad, “You Got This” featuring the iconic song “Can I Kick It?” by A Tribe Called Quest, inspires a culture of quitting by highlighting the small, everyday victories that lead to quitting and reinforcing a key message: quitting nicotine is achievable with the right support.

You don’t have to go it alone

Outsmart Nicotine normalizes quitting as a shared challenge rather than a solitary struggle. Showing desperate attempts to quit nicotine – like eating spicy peppers to stave off cravings – additional ads humorously highlight the struggles of unsupported quitting. Then the ads show a better way: get support with EX Program, a smarter, science-backed solution for breaking free from addiction. Research published in JAMA has shown that using EX Program can increase odds of quitting by up to 40%.

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Support to quit

Outsmart Nicotine introduces a new generation to an enhanced EX Program, a comprehensive cessation intervention developed with Mayo Clinic over 15 years ago and reimagined to meet the unique challenges faced by young people today. EX Program is designed to help young people tackle addiction with personalized support, including tailored quit plans, interactive text messages, the nation’s most established online quit community, and a suite of digital resources. It meets young people where they are: on their phones, online, and on social media.

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Outsmart Nicotine is designed to reach young adults aged 18-24 often dubbed the “JUUL Generation” – those most impacted by the arrival of flavored, easily available e-cigarettes like JUUL nearly a decade ago that prompted a youth e-cigarette use crisis. E-cigarette use remains alarmingly high among this age group, with nearly 1 in 5 young adults are at risk of lifelong nicotine addiction. Many are dual-using cigarettes or other nicotine products like oral pouches.  

Read our report on how e-cigarettes have become bigger, stronger, and cheaper