As we enter the 21st century, tobacco researchers and tobacco control advocates, along with the Tobacco Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP), are coming to grips with the sobering reality that tobacco use, especially cigarette smoking, continues as a growing global epidemic. With 1.1 billion smokers worldwide, and the tobacco industry successfully recruiting new smokers every day, tobacco related disease will increase as the century progresses. The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of tobacco related deaths will take place in poorer nations, particularly countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This situation desperately cries out for not only increased tobacco control efforts, but also amplified research programs to develop innovative, effective treatments for nicotine dependence and tobacco-related disease as well as new approaches to reduce tobacco use. In this regard, TRDRP is hopeful that US state governments, …