Disparities in cancer death rates between black and white Americans have closed – faster declines in smoking and lung cancer are the biggest factors. We can make even greater progress by banning menthol cigarettes, which the tobacco industry has long targeted at the African-American community.

Happy Valentine's Day! Yesterday, these young advocates delivered handmade Valentines to Washington state lawmakers urging them to raise the tobacco age to 21. Their efforts paid off as the bill advanced to the House floor! Preventing young people from using tobacco is a great way to protect hearts!

Our research exposed how tobacco companies secretly use social media to market cigarettes to millions of young people around the world. “This content was almost everywhere we looked from Facebook to Instagram to Twitter…. These images were all part of a sophisticated global marketing strategy from an industry that is desperate to attract new smokers.” Learn more: takeapart.org/wheretheressmoke/