ACS CAN Expresses Disappointment on Lack of Commitment to Reducing Tobacco Use

NEW YORK, NY – January 24, 2017 – Mayor Bill de Blasio has released his preliminary budget plan for 2018.  He has allocated $7.4 million to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for tobacco control and cessation efforts in the package. This is the same level of funding in the current budget.

Michael Davoli, New York metro government relations director of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) released the following statement.

“Mayor de Blasio has missed an opportunity to take a major step toward his goal of reducing mortality in the city by 25 percent by 2040 in deciding not to recommend an increase in funding for the tobacco control program.

“Nationally, some 480,000 people lose their lives every year because of tobacco and secondhand smoke.  In New York City alone, over 12,000 people lose their lives to tobacco-related illness, like cancer, each year. Tobacco contributes more to premature deaths in New York City than any other behavior. Tobacco control programs have proven successful by providing tools to help people quit smoking and educate non-smokers to never start. Yet, funding for tobacco control remains minimal at best when compared with efforts to deter other forms of preventable death. While smoking rates overall in the United States are at an all-time low, certain populations including low income individuals have smoking rates significantly above the national average. Please, Mayor de Blasio, do not turn your back on these populations.

“As Mayor de Blasio and the city council go through the budget process, we ask that they act to save lives and protect New Yorkers from the suffering caused by tobacco, by increasing the support for the New York City tobacco control program.  At the same time, we are calling on New York City to advance a robust legislative agenda to further drive down smoking rates. We must begin to tackle the oversaturation of tobacco in our communities.”