In New York City, smoking kills more than 7,400 people a year.
Stimulus Funding to Reduce Smoking in New York City
The NYC Health Department is internationally recognized as a leader in tobacco control, using evidence-based, aggressive and effective interventions to encourage cessation and discourage initiation of tobacco use. Since launching its comprehensive tobacco control program in 2002, NYC has seen a 27% decline in adult smoking and a 52% decline in youth smoking. Yet, despite significant progress, more than 950,000 adults and almost 20,000 public high school students still smoke.
Through the Fund for Public Health in New York (FPHNY), the NYC Health Department has received a one-time $15.5 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to build on previous successes and launch new initiatives to reduce tobacco use. The project has three primary objectives: to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke; to promote and support cessation; and to decrease initiation, especially among youth. Made possible through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the NYC Health Department is using these resources to enhance its' ongoing anti-tobacco media campaign, expand institutional smoke-free-air polices, and improve compliance with existing prohibitions. Additionally, the NYC Health Department will strengthen its' annual Nicotine Patch and Gum Program to benefit groups with disproportionately high rates of smoking, including low-income residents and young adults. A Leadership Team made up of influential policymakers, organization leaders and tobacco control experts oversees the strategic direction of the project. For more information on the work of DOHMH's Tobacco Control Program, click here.
For help to quit smoking click here or call 311 in New York City.
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For more information on how you can get involved in tobacco-free education and advocacy activities, click here.
People who die of smoking-related illnesses lose an average of 14 years of life.
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