The United States has made historic progress in combating the epidemic of tobacco-caused illness and death since the landmark 1964 Surgeon General's Report on the health effects of cigarette smoking. Because of this, many mistakenly assume that future advances will be assured. In 2009, recognizing that declines in smoking prevalence had stalled, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius directed HHS to develop a Department-wide strategic action plan for tobacco control to accelerate progress in combating the tobacco epidemic. A working group of public health experts across HHS was convened to develop Ending the Tobacco Epidemic: A Tobacco Control Strategic Action Plan for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Published in November 2010, the Strategic Action Plan mobilizes HHS tobacco control resources toward the bold vision of a society free from tobacco-related death and disease and provides a framework for coordinating tobacco control efforts across the Department and the nation. The Strategic Action Plan prescribes proven, practical, achievable actions that can be implemented at the federal, state, and community levels. It sets forth the most effective evidence-based and evidence-informed approaches that will enable HHS to build on recent legislative milestones, respond to the changing market for tobacco products, and promote robust tobacco control programs at the federal, state, and community levels. The Strategic Action Plan charts a framework designed to achieve four central tobacco-related objectives of Healthy People 2020: Reduce tobacco use by adults and adolescents; Reduce the initiation of tobacco use among children, adolescents, and young adults; Increase smoking cessation success by adult smokers; Reduce the proportion of nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke. The Plan also directs that future activities focus on accomplishing specific objectives in four major action areas: Leading by example; Improving the public's health; Engaging the public; Advancing knowledge.