The smoking rates in New York City are a cause for serious concern. See below some figures that highlight the impact of smoking across the City and in your borough.
| Last Updated February 2024 |
In New York State…
- New York State residents’ tax burden from smoking-related healthcare costs is $1,528 per household.(5)
- Annual health care costs in New York State directly caused by smoking is $9.7 billion.(5)
In New York City…
- 8.7% of residents (590,000 adults) smoke.(1)
- 8,000 public high school students currently smoke cigarettes; one-third of whom will die prematurely as a direct result of smoking.(2)
- More than 200,000 children are still exposed to secondhand smoke at home.(4)
- 15.2% (37,000) public high school students report current use of an e-vapor product (2), indicating dual use of e-cigs and combustible cigarettes.
Adult Smoking Rates by Borough, 2022 (1)
| Bronx | 11.7 | 124,000 |
| Brooklyn | 9.2 | 192,000 |
| Manhattan | 8.3 | 112,000 |
| Queens | 6.2 | 116,000 |
| Staten Island | 11.9 | 45,000 |
Current e-Cigarette Use Rates by Borough, 2022 (1)
| Bronx | 7.2 | 74,000 |
| Brooklyn | 6.9 | 126,000 |
| Manhattan | 7.7 | 94,000 |
| Queens | 6.0 | 98,000 |
| Staten Island | 7.4 | 24,000 |
Current Menthol Product Use Rates (among current smokers) by Borough, 2022 (1)
| Bronx | 82.3 | 100,000 |
| Brooklyn | 45.90 | 96,000 |
| Manhattan | 26.9* | 31,000 |
| Queens | 40.8* | 45,000 |
| Staten Island | 36.3* | 19,000 |
| *Estimate should be interpreted with caution. Estimate’s Relative Standard Error (a measure of estimate precision) is greater than 30%, or the 95% Confidence Interval half-width is greater than 10 or the sample size is too small, making the estimate potentially unreliable. |
Adult Smoking Rates by Sexual Orientation, 2022 (1)
| Gay/Lesbian | 15.7 | 59,000 |
| Straight | 8.1 | 472,000 |
| Bisexual | 15.3 | 34,000 |
| Something else | 5.8* | 8,000 |
| *Estimate should be interpreted with caution. Estimate’s Relative Standard Error (a measure of estimate precision) is greater than 30%, or the 95% Confidence Interval half-width is greater than 10 or the sample size is too small, making the estimate potentially unreliable. |
Current Smoking Among Public High School Students, 2019 (2)
| NYC Overall | 3.3 | 8,000 |
| Bronx | 3.9 | 2,000 |
| Brooklyn | 2.3 | 2,000 |
| Manhattan | 4.0 | 2,000 |
| Queens | 3.2 | 2,000 |
| Staten Island | 3.9 | 1,000 |
Current E-Cigarette Use Among Public High School Students, 2019 (2)
| Overall | 15.2 | 37,000 |
| Bronx | 14.7 | 6,000 |
| Brooklyn | 15.2 | 10,000 |
| Manhattan | 14.5 | 7,000 |
| Queens | 14.9 | 10,000 |
| Staten Island | 19.9 | 3,000 |
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. New York City Community Health Survey 2022.
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. New York City Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2019.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Projected smoking-related deaths among youth–United States.” MMWR. 45(44).1996.
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. More and more New Yorkers recognizing that secondhand smoke is toxic. 5 May 2007. Print.
- Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. Fact Sheet: The Toll of Tobacco in New York. May 18, 2021.
