Tobacco-Free Broome Tioga representatives meet with lawmakers to discuss NYS’s Tobacco Control Program successes and continued unmet needs.

(Binghamton, NY)- According to a report on the New York State (NYS) Tobacco Control Program (TCP), for every $1 invested in tobacco control, New York saves $11.[i] Data shows for every $1 NYS spent on the TCP between 2001 and 2019. The state spent $11 less in healthcare expenditures attributed to smoking. ^I  During discussions with Assemblyman Joe Angelino, Senator Lea Webb, Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, and Senator Peter Oberacker, representatives with Tobacco-Free Broome Tioga addressed local tobacco control program successes and emphasized efforts to address high smoking rates among certain demographic groups.

Since the Tobacco Control Program’s inception, the average adult smoking rate dropped by nearly half, from 23.2% in 2001[ii] to 12% in 2021.[iii] The statewide average youth cigarette smoking rate dropped from 27.1% in 2000 to 2.1% in 2020.[iv] However, there is more work to be done. One in five New York State high school students still use tobacco products due mostly to the use of e-cigarettes.^iv While the overall adult smoking rate is at an all-time low, certain demographic groups smoke at much higher rates.ⁱⁱⁱ The fact is that 30,000 New Yorkers still die every year from smoking and secondhand smoke exposure.[v] And for every person who dies because of smoking, at least 30 people live with a serious smoking-related illness, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.[vi]

Despite the Tobacco Control Program’s demonstrated success and identified unmet needs, the state’s funding for it is just 2% of its annual tobacco revenue from tobacco product excise tax ($1.03B) and Master Settlement Agreement funds ($764M).ⁱFurther, the CDC recommends New York State spend $203 million on tobacco control annually[vii]; the state spends $34.8 million, which is just 17% of theCDC’s recommendation.  

Tobacco-Free Broome Tioga shared recent successes with state lawmakers.

• E-cigarette use, or vaping rate, among NYS high school students declined from a peak of 27.4% in 2018 to 18.7% in 2022—a 32% decline.^iv
• The NYS average adult smoking rate dropped by 15% from 14.1% in 2017[viii] to 12% in 2021.ⁱⁱⁱ 

They also highlighted areas of unmet needs.

• 20.8% of NYS high school students still use tobacco products—primarily e-cigarettes at 18.7%.^iv

Flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes and cigars, pose significant risks.
More than 80% of young people who ever used tobacco started with a flavored tobacco product.[ix] In New York State, menthol cigarettes are used by over half of all adult smokers (52%), while 86% of Black and 72% of Hispanic smokers exclusively smoke menthol cigarettes.[x]

Support is available for New Yorkers who want to quit smoking and vaping.
Talk to your healthcare provider today! Tobacco-free living increases the potential for better health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. When healthcare professionals treat nicotine addiction with medication and counseling, it can double or even triple their patients’ chances of success.[xi]

The New York State Smokers' Quitline is a free and confidential service for all New York State residents who wish to overcome the use of commercial tobacco and/or vape products. Participants can receive individualized coaching and assistance with quit planning from highly trained tobacco treatment specialists, text and online chat support, and a free starter supply of nicotine replacement therapy medications such as patches, gum, and/or lozenges for those 18 and older. Residents of all ages may contact the Quitline for support and educational materials. Visit nysmokefree.com anytime, text QUITNOW to 333888 for more information, or call 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487) seven days a week, beginning at 9 a.m.