Last week, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) released a draft framework for an initiative that aims to ensure every person in America has access to comprehensive, evidence-based treatment. The framework is organized around six goals that range from increasing awareness of the benefits of smoking cessation to finding the best measures for the success of the effort. Research released last year showed that, in 2020, smoking prevalence was higher in rural (19.2 percent) than in urban areas (14.4 percent). From 2010 to 2020, the odds of quitting were lower in rural versus urban areas. HHS invites all potentially interested parties—individuals, associations, governmental and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and private sector entities—to respond by July 30.
