MD Anderson, the National Institute of Cancer of the United Mexican States, and the Commission of National Institutes and High Specialty Hospitals recently joined forces in a first-of-its-kind agreement to develop prevention and control programs to reduce tobacco use in the United States and Mexico. The goal is to create a comprehensive evidence-based smoking and tobacco-cessation campaign targeting Mexican and Mexican-American youth.

The Mexico and Texas Tobacco Control Initiative will focus on legislative and policy initiatives and collaborate on services and programs to be used in neighborhoods, schools and workplaces. It’s the first flagship project from the cancer prevention and control platform, a major emphasis of MD Anderson’s Moon Shots Program, says Ronald DePinho, M.D., president.

“This agreement will advance tobacco prevention and cessation efforts drawing on the experience and expertise of both partners, while providing new opportunities to develop more progressive programs, services, policies and initiatives for both countries,” says DePinho. “Although our initial approach is to start with Texas and Mexico, we want to develop a model that will scale for the United States and other Spanish-speaking countries around the world.”