The 2025 Eliminate Tobacco Use (ETU) National Summit took place on March 6, 2025, bringing together tobacco control advocates both in person at The University of Texas at Austin and virtually. Hosted by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in partnership with The University of Texas System, the summit featured perspectives from ETU leadership in Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia. The national and state summits provided valuable opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing and strategic planning.
National ETU Summit
Celebrating 10 years of the ETU National Summit, this year’s summit gathered researchers, tobacco control advocates and campus leaders to reflect on a decade of impact and chart the path forward.
- Yolonda Richardson, J.D., M.P.H., President and Chief Executive Officer of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, delivered a keynote on best practices in tobacco control over the past decade, highlighting both successes and emerging challenges.
- Jennifer Cofer, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., C.H.E.S., Executive Director of the EndTobacco™ Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center, shared key milestones from ETU’s 10-year journey in tobacco prevention/education, policy and cessation efforts.
- Melinda (Mindy) J. Ickes, Ph.D., Professor, Kinesiology and Health Promotion, Acting Associate Dean of Research, College of Education, University of Kentucky presented strategies to reduce the use of emerging tobacco products among at-risk youth and young adults, showcasing her successful #iCANendthetrend tobacco use prevention program.
- Chad D. Morris, Ph.D., Professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, emphasized the link between tobacco use and mental health, advocating for integrated prevention approaches.
The summit concluded with a panel of college student leaders who shared real-world challenges and successes in implementing tobacco-free policies and prevention efforts on campus. Their perspectives reinforced the importance of student engagement in sustaining tobacco-free initiatives.
ETU Texas Summit
Held in Austin on March 7, 2025, the ETU Texas Summit welcomed 146 attendees both in person and virtually. Sessions explored the toll of tobacco in Texas, key findings from the 2024 Texas College Tobacco Survey and a review of campus tobacco-free policies. Attendees also reflected on a decade of Peers Against Tobacco, highlighting the impact of peer-led initiatives. Additionally, three steering committee members discussed how they work to keep tobacco embedded into their daily work for employees and students. The summit concluded with action plan report-outs from the ETU Texas Steering Committee and summit attendees, ensuring continued momentum into the next year.
ETU Virginia Summit
ETU Virginia hosted a virtual summit on March 7, 2025, with 67 attendees, focusing on Virginia’s evolving tobacco landscape. The event opened with a keynote on Trends in Virginia Tobacco Use and Emerging Nicotine Products, setting the stage for discussions on policy progress in higher education. Attendees also heard from a panel of higher education leaders and were provided a comprehensive overview of resources available for college campuses.
ETU Missouri Summit
ETU Missouri hosted a virtual meeting on March 11, 2025, bringing together 42 attendees to discuss the state’s tobacco control efforts: including a review of the State of Missouri’s Strategic Plan for tobacco prevention and control. The event featured insights on Partners in Prevention programming and concluded with recommendations and next steps for continued progress.
Together, the national and state summits reached 380 attendees from 171 organizations and campuses across 18 states. Thank you to everyone who participated! The ETU leadership team is excited about this year’s success and looks forward to the next summit.