Approximately 44 million Americans smoke, and up to one half of all long-term smokers will eventually die from their addiction. Every day, nearly 3,500 kids and adolescents try a cigarette for the first time. And each year, tobacco use costs our country $96 billion in healthcare expenses and $97 billion in lost productivity, damaging both our economy and collective health. Millions of Americans suffer the effects of tobacco, and countless families, friends and communities across our nation have been impacted by it.

That’s why Legacy is committed to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. As the largest non-profit public health charity in the nation devoted specifically to tobacco control, we have a history of producing game-changing public health interventions that have been proven to reduce tobacco use among young people and adults. You may not know the name “Legacy” well, but your kids have probably heard of our truth^® youth smoking prevention campaign. And if you or someone you know is trying to quit smoking, our EX^® cessation program can help.

For more than a decade, Legacy has conducted in-depth quantitative and qualitative research to understand the personal and social factors that contribute to tobacco use among young people and adults; changes in tobacco use over time; and the impact of federal, state and local anti-tobacco policies, such as cigarette taxes and clean indoor-air laws, on smoking-related attitudes and behaviors. The efficacy, impact and cost-effectiveness of our efforts have been documented in more than 50 academic peer-reviewed publications including the American Journal of Public Health, Preventive Medicine, Journal of Adolescent Medicine, Addiction and others.

Our work is guided by the belief that a legacy isn’t just something you leave behind when you die. It’s something you build every day you live.

We’re working to build a legacy of longer, healthier lives for all Americans.