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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Tobacco Advisory Council

Please contact the Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida

The Legislature recognizes that there is a State Constitutional amendment that requires the funding of a statewide tobacco education and use prevention program that focuses on tobacco use and youth. In order to effectively implement the many aspects of the tobacco program, the legislature establishes the Tobacco Education and Use Prevention Advisory Council (TAC) in section 381.84, Florida Statutes in 2007. The TAC is comprised of 23 members, with the State Surgeon General serving as the chair. The TAC meets quarterly, twice in-person and twice virtually. The main duties of the TAC are to offer advice to the Surgeon General on the direction and scope of the Comprehensive Statewide Tobacco Education and Use Prevention Program. These duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Program priorities and emphases;
  • Overall program budget;
  • Advice on copyrighted material;
  • Trademarks and future transactions as they pertain to the tobacco education and use prevention program;
  • Review of broadcast material, periodic program evaluation;
  • Assisting in the development of guidelines to ensure fairness, neutrality and adherence to the principles of merit and quality in the conduct of the program;
  • Assisting in the development of administrative procedures, relating to solicitation, review and award of contracts and grants in order to ensure an impartial, high quality peer review system;
  • Assisting in the development and review of peer review panels; 
  • Reviewing reports of peer review panels and making recommendations for contracts and grants;
  • Reviewing the activities and evaluating the performance of the AHEC network to avoid duplicative efforts using state funds;
  • Recommending meaningful outcomes measures through a regular review of tobacco-use prevention and education strategies and programs of other states and the Federal Government; and
  • Recommending policies to encourage a coordinated response to tobacco use in this state, focusing specifically on creating partnership within and between the public and private sectors.