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The Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control (CTPC) manages comprehensive tobacco control and prevention efforts through local health departments. This is achieved by providing grants and technical support to several key programs:
The Local Health Department Core Program is provided to all LHDs, including a base amount for all LHDs, with additional award amounts determined based on the population size and tobacco use rates of the jurisdiction based on a formula outlined in the CRF statute. Elements include: Community Initiatives, School-Based Initiatives, Cessation Initiatives, and Administration as described below:
Community InitiativesThe Community component strives to mobilize community actions through coalition participation, tobacco prevention education, marketing, grassroots and faith based campaigns to promote tobacco-free norms, eliminate disparities associated with tobacco use, and to encourage policy interventions. Local health departments with technical assistance from the state health department engage key stakeholders through local tobacco coalitions and community organizations. School-Based InitiativesThe School-based component promotes tobacco use prevention education for students K through twelfth grade within the school environment. Local health departments engage in partnership with school systems to enhance youth awareness of the dangers of tobacco and nicotine use through instruction, peer support programs, parent involvement, and policy promotions. Tobacco Treatment and Cessation InitiativesThe Cessation component promotes quitting the use of tobacco products among adults and youth. Local health department programs offer behavior change cessation sessions individually or as a group, free tobacco cessation aids, and ongoing assistance to quit tobacco use through MDQL referrals.
The Community component strives to mobilize community actions through coalition participation, tobacco prevention education, marketing, grassroots and faith based campaigns to promote tobacco-free norms, eliminate disparities associated with tobacco use, and to encourage policy interventions. Local health departments with technical assistance from the state health department engage key stakeholders through local tobacco coalitions and community organizations.
School-Based Initiatives
The School-based component promotes tobacco use prevention education for students K through twelfth grade within the school environment. Local health departments engage in partnership with school systems to enhance youth awareness of the dangers of tobacco and nicotine use through instruction, peer support programs, parent involvement, and policy promotions.
Tobacco Treatment and Cessation Initiatives
The Cessation component promotes quitting the use of tobacco products among adults and youth. Local health department programs offer behavior change cessation sessions individually or as a group, free tobacco cessation aids, and ongoing assistance to quit tobacco use through MDQL referrals.
The Tobacco Retailer Enforcement Initiative provides funding to all 24 Local Health Departments (LHDs) to ensure compliance with both the federal Synar Amendment and the 2024 Tobacco Retailer Modernization Act.
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is required to conduct annual, random, unannounced inspections and must keep the Retailer Violation Rate below 20% to comply with the Federal Synar Amendment. MDH supports LHDs in their efforts to reduce this violation rate and prevent youth access to tobacco products.
The 2024 Tobacco Retailer Modernization Act mandates specific requirements for retailers, including:
Tobacco and Chronic Disease Program An initiative promoting integration at the local level to collectively address the impact of tobacco use, chronic disease, and related factors in Maryland. This initiative reflects a comprehensive 'whole health' approach with tobacco, chronic disease, and related risk factors and encourages LHD staff to work collectively as a team. LHDs utilize a health equity approach to address health disparities and inequities related to tobacco use and chronic disease.Pregnancy and Tobacco Cessation Help (PATCH) Program A program to address smoking during pregnancy in rural jurisdictions that historically had higher tobacco use during pregnancy rates than the state average including: Allegany, Calvert, Dorchester, Washington, and Garret Counties. Local PATCH programs incentivize community partners and create care portals in environments where pregnant women and women of childbearing age are already engaged. The goal is to build additional capacity within local jurisdictions to offer tobacco use screening, education, prevention, and cessation services specifically tailored for pregnant people and women of childbearing age.
An initiative promoting integration at the local level to collectively address the impact of tobacco use, chronic disease, and related factors in Maryland. This initiative reflects a comprehensive 'whole health' approach with tobacco, chronic disease, and related risk factors and encourages LHD staff to work collectively as a team. LHDs utilize a health equity approach to address health disparities and inequities related to tobacco use and chronic disease.
Pregnancy and Tobacco Cessation Help (PATCH) Program
A program to address smoking during pregnancy in rural jurisdictions that historically had higher tobacco use during pregnancy rates than the state average including: Allegany, Calvert, Dorchester, Washington, and Garret Counties. Local PATCH programs incentivize community partners and create care portals in environments where pregnant women and women of childbearing age are already engaged. The goal is to build additional capacity within local jurisdictions to offer tobacco use screening, education, prevention, and cessation services specifically tailored for pregnant people and women of childbearing age.
Last Updated: April 2, 2026
