HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday has joined a bipartisan coalition of 22 states urging federal health agencies to continue the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), an annual study that tracks smoking and vaping trends among middle and high school students.
The coalition submitted a joint comment letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), emphasizing the survey’s role in understanding youth tobacco use and shaping prevention strategies.
“The most effective way to tackle a dilemma such as youth tobacco use is to promote deterrence, so bad habits stop before they start,” Attorney General Sunday said. “We need as much information as we can find on why children use tobacco, so we can shape programming that will resonate with kids.”
The CDC invited public comment as it considers revisions to the 2026–2028 NYTS but has not yet proposed specific changes. Attorneys General argue that maintaining comprehensive data on youth tobacco and nicotine use is essential to guide policy, outreach, and enforcement efforts.
The National Youth Tobacco Survey has played a significant role in state-led initiatives since the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), when 52 state and territorial Attorneys General reached a landmark deal with the nation’s four largest tobacco companies to settle numerous lawsuits. The settlement imposed restrictions on tobacco advertising and marketing while generating billions for public health programs.
In addition to enforcing MSA provisions, states have pursued broader measures to reduce youth access to tobacco and nicotine products. These efforts include lawsuits against manufacturers, agreements with major retailers to limit marketing and sales practices targeting minors, and appeals to film studios, creative guilds, and streaming platforms to reduce depictions of tobacco use in entertainment media.
Pennsylvania’s Office of Attorney General also enforces state-specific laws requiring manufacturers outside the MSA to place funds in escrow accounts for potential litigation and mandates certification of all cigarette products sold within the Commonwealth. Noncompliant products are subject to seizure as contraband.
Joining Pennsylvania in the letter are the Attorneys General of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Puerto Rico.
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