The daunting challenge of quitting smoking just became a lot harder.

On April 1, the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health was eliminated in cuts ordered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This decision resulted in a loss of critical support for state-level cessation programs, threatening decades of public health progress.

As we observed World No Tobacco Day on May 31, the demise of the Office on Smoking and Health represented a devastating retreat from decades of collaboration between the state of Minnesota and the federal government to help those who use commercial tobacco to successfully quit and live healthier lives.

Minnesota previously offered free support through QUITPLAN Services, operated by ClearWay Minnesota, an independent nonprofit established in 1998 from th

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