Requires the department of health to implement a tobacco control program that incorporates evidence-based best practices for tobacco prevention and cessation to prevent tobacco-related diseases and diminish tobacco use in the state.

Rhode Island Tobacco Control Program Bill

This bill would require Rhode Island's Department of Health to create and run a formal tobacco control program. The program would need to follow "evidence-based best practices," meaning it must use approaches that research has shown to actually work when it comes to preventing people from starting to use tobacco and helping current users quit. The overall goals are to reduce tobacco-related illnesses and lower the rate of tobacco use across the state.

The bill would affect Rhode Islanders broadly, but particularly those at risk of starting tobacco use — such as young people — as well as current smokers or tobacco users who want to quit. It would also directly involve the Department of Health, which would be responsible for designing and carrying out the program. The bill does not specify exactly what activities the program must include, leaving those details to the department, as long as they are grounded in proven, science-backed methods.

Currently, this bill is in its early stages. It was introduced in the Senate and sent to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, which has recommended it be held for further study rather than moving it forward right away. A hearing is scheduled for March 10, 2026. This means the bill has not yet become law, and lawmakers are still reviewing and debating its details before deciding whether to pass it.