
Saving lives through the truth campaign
truth is our national tobacco prevention counter-marketing campaign. It speaks to young people on their terms, through the channels they trust.
Explore the truth campaignTruth Initiative is America's largest nonprofit public health organization committed to making tobacco use and nicotine addiction a thing of the past.
In our fight to end smoking, vaping and nicotine addiction, we focus on the issues that matter most. We constantly monitor the latest topics and trends in tobacco and substance use.
Get the latest facts and analyses on the most important issues related to smoking, vaping, nicotine and substance use.
We give young people the facts about smoking, vaping, nicotine and the tobacco industry, engage individuals and groups to make change in their communities, innovate ways to end nicotine addiction and join forces with collaborators committed to a future where tobacco and nicotine addiction are a thing of the past.
Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute®
truth® campaign
Enlist in our movement, explore youth activism programs, share quitting resources and learn about more ways you can get involved.
Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute®
truth® campaign
Our work has prevented millions of young people from becoming smokers, including 2.5 million between 2015 and 2018 alone. We believe a culture where young people reject smoking, vaping, and nicotine can be achieved within this generation — and we won’t stop until we create a future where tobacco use and nicotine addiction are a thing of the past. This is how we’re doing.
truth is our national tobacco prevention counter-marketing campaign. It speaks to young people on their terms, through the channels they trust.
Explore the truth campaign450K
In just its first four years, truth was directly responsible for keeping 450,000 teens from starting to smoke.
5M
Since 2000, the truth tour has reached more than 5 million young people and given out over 1 million pieces of truth merch.
2.5M
truth has prevented millions of young people from becoming smokers, including 2.5 million between 2015 and 2018 alone.
Before Truth Initiative I didn't really see tobacco control framed as a social justice issue. When I read more about the fellowship program I saw that they were really trying to equip youth with the tools to be the generation to end smoking.
Lincoln Mondy created the documentary "Black Lives / Black Lungs" as a part of the Truth Initiative Youth Activism Fellowship to to educate his peers about the history, marketing tactics and impact of the tobacco industry targeting African-Americans with menthol tobacco products.
The fellowship has really been just pivotal to who I am and how my career is going. I’ve realized that you can make policies and set up environments that can help people make better health decisions for themselves. It doesn’t matter how small your idea is or the lack of experience that you have — no idea is too small to pursue.
Katelynd Todd was a 2016-17 Truth Initiative youth activism fellow. She worked with community leaders to pass a comprehensive tobacco-free policy at two student apartment complexes in Berkeley, California.
There were many times I felt discouraged...but receiving this scholarship was like encouragement to continue with my vision.
Tobacco cessation is a passion for Ruth Juarez: First as a smoking cessation counselor, and then as part of a task force at a psychiatric hospital. Truth Initiative awarded Juarez the Dr. Alma S. Adams Scholarship to support her work of reducing tobacco use among patients.
Ninety-nine percent of smokers try their first cigarette before age 26. We partner with colleges to stop young adults from using tobacco before they start, awarding grants to institutions to adopt a 100% tobacco/vape-free campus policy.
View grants and scholarships