State Invitation Letter

OMB Control Number 0910-0932 

Expiration Date 05/31/2027

Dear [STATE/ORG LEADER],

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is partnering with state education organizations to conduct the 2026 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS). Results from the NYTS serve as an index against which state- and local-level data can be compared and used to support design, implementation, and evaluation of effective tobacco use prevention and control programs. Preventing tobacco and nicotine product use among youth is critical to ending the unsafe and deadly tobacco epidemic in the United States.

We are partnering with education and organization leaders to send an introductory email with information about the NYTS to sampled districts and schools in their state. In the next few days, you will receive an emailed list of schools in your state sampled for participation in the 2026 NYTS. I have included the email template you can send to schools and districts, notifying them of their selection and encouraging their participation. Schools have been randomly sampled and cannot be replaced.

As a symbol of appreciation for contributing their time and support, the FDA will provide each participating school with a monetary award. One option is to use these funds for prevention curriculum and educational materials. However, no restrictions will be placed on how schools can use these funds. Participating schools will also receive an invitation to a webinar discussing the results of the 2026 NYTS.

Next steps:

1. Review the attached NYTS information and the below email template.

2. Send the below email template to sampled schools and their districts after receiving sample information within a few days.

You can also reach the NYTS Project Team by emailing NYTS@rti.org or calling 866-354-0987.

Thank you for all the work that you do to support the health of our nation’s youth!

Sincerely,

Karen A. Cullen, PhD, MPH

Chief, Epidemiology 2 Branch, Division of Population Health Science

Office of Science, Center for Tobacco Products

Food and Drug Administration

Email follow-up to State with State-level Sample

Subject: National Youth Tobacco Survey in [STATE]

Include/Attach: School List

Dear [STATE CSSO],

I am writing to follow up on information you recently received regarding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS). I have included the list of schools in your state that have been randomly sampled for participation in 2026.

School	Principal	Principal Email	District Superintendent	District Superintendent Email

Please use the email template provided below to notify the schools in your state of their selection. Your support and school participation helps us provide data to reduce and prevent youth tobacco and nicotine use in the U.S.

If you have any questions about notifying schools, or would like to learn more about the NYTS, please contact us using the information provided in the signature below.

We are grateful for your support.

[YOUR NAME]

[YOUR SIGNATURE]

[INCLUDE COPY OF “DRAFT EMAIL FROM STATES TO SAMPLED DISTRICTS/SCHOOLS” SENT TO THAT STATE]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DRAFT EMAIL FROM STATES TO SAMPLED DISTRICTS/SCHOOLS:

Dear District and School Leaders:

I am reaching out to share information with you regarding your district/school’s participation in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) 2026 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS). You are receiving this email because your school has been sampled for participation.

We are confident that you understand the risks and consequences associated with youth tobacco and nicotine use and will accept the invitation to participate. Your students’ participation will provide important information related to knowledge of and attitudes toward tobacco, their exposure to secondhand smoke, and influences that promote or discourage tobacco use. The survey also assesses tobacco-related disparities and helps us make decisions about important prevention and intervention efforts.

As a symbol of appreciation for contributing their time and support, the FDA will provide each participating school with a monetary award. One option is to use these funds for prevention curriculum and educational materials. However, no restrictions will be placed on how schools can use these funds. Participating schools will also receive an invitation to a webinar discussing the results of the 2026 NYTS.

It is important to have the participation of all sampled schools. The study design does not permit replacement of selected schools if they do not participate.

Please review the documents linked below and use the provided contact information for any questions you might have.

School Letter from the NYTS Project: [LINK TO LETTER]

NYTS Liaison: [LIAISON NAME, EMAIL]

Thank you for all you do for students every day.

[STATE EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVE]

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes per survey, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Office of Operations, Food and Drug Administration, Three White Flint North, 10A-12M, 11601 Landsdown St., North Bethesda, MD 20852, PRAStaff@fda.hhs.gov, ATTN: PRA (0910-0932).