Matthew Myers

Matthew Myers is a prominent public health advocate and legal expert, best known for his leadership in the fight against tobacco use. He co-founded the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in 1996 and served as its president from January 1, 2000, until stepping down in July 2023. He continues to serve as a strategic advisor to the organization.

With a career spanning over four decades, Myers has been instrumental in numerous tobacco control initiatives. In the early 1980s, while at the Federal Trade Commission, he led efforts that resulted in stronger warning labels on cigarettes and initiated litigation against deceptive advertising practices by tobacco companies. He played a pivotal role in the negotiations leading to the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between state attorneys general and the tobacco industry, which imposed significant restrictions on tobacco advertising and provided substantial funds for tobacco prevention programs.

Under Myers' leadership, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids was a driving force behind the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, granting the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products. Internationally, he contributed to the development of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the first global public health treaty aimed at reducing tobacco use.

Myers holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School.