The tobacco epidemic is still ongoing, and unfortunately, significant disparities in tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure persist for many New Yorkers, especially those who are most vulnerable. NYC Smoke-Free is committed to promoting health equity and putting an end to this devastating tobacco epidemic.
New York City has been at the forefront of the fight against Big Tobacco and has made tremendous progress in preventing tobacco addiction and protecting communities from dangerous secondhand smoke. Evidence-based best practices in comprehensive tobacco control have been implemented, leading to a significant reduction in smoking rates, increasing life expectancy, and improving the health of all New Yorkers.
Despite this progress, individuals with limited income or education, as well as those who struggle with mental health, continue to have higher smoking rates. Disturbing tobacco disparities have also been found in Chinese American, LGBT, and immigrant populations, where smoking rates can be up to three times higher than the general population.
Now is the time to build on NYC’s progress against tobacco and take additional measures to ensure health equity for all New Yorkers.