1. Like A Champ

    “I got my father to quit smoking,” said an overjoyed Reality Check teen Ryan Newman just two years after he joined our teen advocacy program while attending the High School for Public Service. Ryan hails from East Flatbush, Brooklyn and was introduced to our work in the summer of 2015 through the Futures & Options’ […]

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  2. Summertime Grind

    Summer 2022 By: Edric Robinson, Brooklyn Reality Check Manager SUMMER, SUMMER, SUMMERTIME… YOUTH ADVOCATES KICK BUTTS TO UNWIND… Alright we took and modified that title from the classic song “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, but the point is, it’s heating up outside…a sign that summer has arrived! Now with summer upon […]

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  3. WNTD2020: Tobacco Exposed

    In response to the tobacco industries’ systematic, targeted and sustained tactics to attract a new generation of tobacco users, World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) established by the World Health Organization, has been observed annually and worldwide on May 31st since 1987 . This year, NYC Smoke-Free at Public Health Solutions has partnered with the NYC […]

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  4. Live To Breathe Another Day

    Written by Equisha Pierre, Staten Island Community Engagement Manager Major health organizations all agree that smoking an vaping can lead to compromised lung function. In the wake of the COVID19 pandemic, we are learning all smokers both young and old are at higher risk as smoking increases the chance of worse symptoms and complications of the disease. To […]

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  5. #Winning

    Yeah ok, so we know it’s an old hashtag but it is no less true for the recent wins we have seen this month. Keep reading…

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  6. Coming Out for the Summer

    Encouraging Smoke-Free Protections (Written by Vonetta Dudley, Reality Check/Youth Engagement Coordinator, Bronx)  As warmer weather slowly rolls in, it’s important to encourage the increase and maintenance of smoke-free protections to ensure that every New Yorkers (and visitors) can enjoy outdoor public spaces such as parks, beaches and pedestrian plazas free from the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure. With […]

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  7. NYC Pharmacies are Finally Tobacco-Free in 2019

    Written by Julia Cuthbertson, Community Engagement Manager, Brooklyn 2019 has started off as a Happy and Healthy New Year indeed!  As of January 1, pharmacies in New York City no longer sell tobacco products – this includes e-cigarettes and vaping devices. This new law is the last to be implemented from the package of tobacco control legislation […]

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  8. Impact By Numbers

    Updated Impact Maps Show Over 15,000 Units of Smoke-Free Housing This year marked an historic milestone for public health in New York City: the 15th Anniversary of the implementation of the NYC Smoke-Free Air Act of 2002, when comprehensive tobacco control became a priority in New York City. To celebrate the milestone, NYC Smoke-Free set […]

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  9. 3 Reasons Why All Movies Featuring Smoking Should be Rated R

    With the start of the summer blockbuster season right around the corner, it’s time to put the spotlight on an important yet overlooked fact: smoking is glamorized in movies to appeal to youth. Big Tobacco has a long history of leveraging movies to promote smoking and tobacco brands—using tactics such as product placement and celebrity […]

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  10. Tobacco-Free Outdoor Air: 5 Things to Know

    New York City has made great strides in protecting the health of city residents from the harmful effects of smoking and secondhand smoke through enacting a number of laws that curb smoking outdoors. As a result, smoking rates are declining and a growing number of New Yorkers are being educated about the deadly effects of […]

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