Be The First

We made history together

We’re helping deliver the first tobacco-free generation. As the nation’s largest health care innovation company, CVS Health is uniquely positioned to help people on their path to better health, which includes playing a leading role in helping people lead tobacco-free lives. That’s why, through our company and the CVS Health and Aetna Foundations, we’ve invested $50 million over the last five years, working with the nation’s leading anti-tobacco and youth organizations to support comprehensive education, advocacy, tobacco control and healthy behavior programming.

Since launching Be The First in 2016:

• Reached 15 million youth through education, awareness, advocacy and health behavior programming

• Helped youth in all 50 states become tobacco-free advocates

• Supported more than 200 college campuses advocate for, adopt and implement smoke- and tobacco-free policies across the country through our Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Initiative (PDF)

These accomplishments have contributed to a 36% decline in new youth smokers and 3.5% decline in the youth smoking rate since 2016.

One of our main focus areas has been investing in tobacco-free resources for students, parents, teachers, schools and youth organizations. These tools and curricula cover topics including the dangers of tobacco, e-cigarette use, healthy behaviors, and advocacy training. We have compiled a list of our resources.

Though research from the CDC shows the percentage of high school students who are current cigarette smokers decreased in 2019, e-cigarette use is a growing concern. More than five million middle and high school students reported using e-cigarette, an increase from 3.6 million in 2018 and 1.5 million in 2017. We have an opportunity to help end this persistent issue affecting our youth, and to help this generation be the first tobacco-free generation.