Background: India made 2 important policy statements regarding tobacco control in the past decade. First, the India Tobacco Control Act (ITCA) was signed into law in 2003 with the goal to reduce tobacco consumption and protect citizens from exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS). Second, in 2005, India ratified the World Health Organization Framework…

Describes the development and implementation of the Surgeon General's "Healthy Children Ready to Learn" initiative, which encourages parents to be their children's first teachers, requires nutrition and health care for all children, and emphasizes access to high quality preschool programs for disadvantaged and disabled children. (SM)