John,

I want to wish you a very happy New Year and say thank you.

2021 was another challenging year. Yet, thanks to supporters like you, we continued to make incredible progress in our fight to improve health and save lives, both in the United States and around the world. In the U.S., 22 more cities took action to end the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, and the FDA announced a bold plan to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. Globally, South America became the first multi-nation continent to go completely smoke-free when Paraguay joined its neighbors in passing a comprehensive law.  

With your continued support, we will make even greater progress in the year ahead.

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Here are some of our top priorities in 2022:

In the U.S., where the youth e-cigarette crisis continues and the FDA has yet to take decisive action, we will:

• Make the strongest possible case for the FDA to eliminate all flavored and high-nicotine e-cigarettes – and continue to defend the FDA’s authority from legal attacks by the tobacco industry.
• Address the growing threat of synthetic nicotine (nicotine made in a lab, rather than derived from tobacco), which some e-cigarette manufacturers are now using to evade FDA regulation.
• Fight at the state and local level to eliminate all flavored tobacco products and counter increasingly aggressive opposition from the tobacco industry.
  • Critical fight: We’re gearing up to defend California’s statewide ban on flavored e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, which is on the ballot in Fall 2022.
• Deepen our work to reduce the devastating health disparities caused by tobacco use.
  • Key deadline: By April 2022, the FDA must keep its promise and issue proposed rules to prohibit menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.

Our international work

Around the world, where tobacco industry attacks have become fiercer than ever, we will:

• Close tobacco control policy gaps in priority countries, including Bangladesh, India, Philippines, South Africa and Ukraine.
• Push forward efforts to increase the price of tobacco products through large increases in tobacco taxes, one of the most effective strategies to reduce tobacco use and prevent youth initiation.
• Continue to expand smoke-free work in China – which is both the largest consumer and largest producer of tobacco products, particularly cigarettes.
• Work with and strengthen civil society groups around the world as they hold governments accountable, withstand industry pressures and continue the fight for the long term.

Tackling critical public health issues globally

Our Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) continues to expand on our proven model for policy advocacy to tackle other critical public health issues. This year, GHAI will:

• Continue to build support for investing in epidemic preparedness in Nigeria and Ghana.
• Create healthy food policies to prevent obesity and other diet-related diseases.
• Continue to collaborate with local partners advocating for safer roads in countries around the world, including Colombia, Mexico, Uganda and more.
• Support the governments of Bangladesh and Vietnam to reduce deaths from child drowning.
• Advocate for federal policies in the U.S. to reduce opioid overdose deaths as part of a new Overdose Prevention Initiative with Bloomberg Philanthropies.

This is just the topline list of the fights we’re taking on and the challenges we’re facing in 2022. It will be a truly pivotal year in the fight against tobacco use and other leading causes of preventable disease and death.

Your continued support ensures we have the resources to meet every challenge and succeed.

Thank you for standing with us. Wishing you a happy and healthy year ahead.