The tobacco epidemic: it may not be the sexiest of topics, but in 2023 it remains one of our most enduring public health challenges. For those who are fortunate enough to enjoy smoke-free protections where they live, work, and spend free time, it might feel as though we have already won the war on tobacco. Unfortunately, that is far from the truth.
Tobacco use remains the number one cause of premature and preventable death for New Yorkers, with over 28,000 New Yorkers dying from smoking-related diseases every year. What’s more, 3,000 non-smokers – those who actively choose to not use tobacco but who are passively subjected to toxic smoke from other people’s cigarettes – also die every year in New York. It probably comes as no surprise to note that while overall smoking rates have decreased, significant disparities in smoking and secondhand smoke exposure rates continue to exist –such as in communities of color and populations with limited income or education.
Despite these dreary statistics, there is hope in the form of public health programs that continue to combat the pervasive and persistent presence of tobacco in our communities. Not only do these programs save lives, but they also save us money. This is because New York state spends more than $10 billion each year caring for people made sick from smoking, translating to a state and federal tax burden of $883 per household in expenditures related to tobacco-related healthcare.
At NYC Smoke-Free, a program of Public Health Solutions, we work with a wide swath of community members, organizations, and elected officials to help create voluntary tobacco-free policies for residential buildings, places of employment, outdoor spaces, and houses of worship. So help us spread the love by standing tough against the tobacco industry and working with us creating safer, healthier communities. It’s the Brooklyn way.
For more information on NYC Smoke-Free or to lend support in ending NYC’s devastating tobacco epidemic please visit www.nycsmokefree.org. You can also contact Julia Cuthbertson, NYC Smoke-Free’s Brooklyn Community Engagement Manager at jcuthbertson@healthsolutions.org to learn more and get involved.
Julia Cuthbertson, Brooklyn Community Engagement Manager
NYC Smoke-Free, Public Health Solutions
