NEW YORK – A coalition of public health groups applauded today’s introduction of legislation (Intro 577-2022) that would end the sale of menthol cigarettes in New York City by Councilmembers Rita Joseph and Selvena N. Brooks-Powers.
According to a recent study from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), if the sale of menthol cigarettes was ended now, it estimates that over the next two years 90,000 New Yorkers would quit smoking, the majority being Black and Latino adults and 3,000 young New Yorkers will not start smoking, who would have otherwise.
The proposal to eliminate the sale of menthol cigarettes comes after decades of tobacco industry targeting of communities of color in New York City and nationwide. The tobacco industry saturates Black and Latino communities with marketing and advertising of their menthol products. As a result, nearly 85% of Black people who smoke and more than 45% of Hispanic people who smoke use menthol products. Additionally, nearly 65% of young people who smoke menthol cigarettes say they would quit if menthol were no longer available.
Three years ago, the NYC Council took decisive action to prioritize health and eliminated the sale of flavored e-cigarette products but surprisingly continued to allow menthol cigarettes to remain on the market. The legislation introduced today is identical to a bill from the previous session that had widespread public approval and was supported by 37 Council Members, the former mayor, and all five borough presidents at the time. Unfortunately, previous Council leadership did not allow members to vote on the measure. That lack of action by the Council was a win for Big Tobacco and a tremendous loss for the future of our children.
In recent years over 150 other municipalities across the United States, including most recently, the City of Los Angeles, have acted against this devastating health inequity by adopting an ordinance ending the sale of menthol cigarettes.
The Flavors Hook Kids NYC Coalition looks forward to working with NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Councilmembers Rita Joseph and Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, the entire City Council, and Mayor Eric Adams’ administration to ensure they make the health of all people living in, working in, and visiting New York City a priority and finally end the sale of menthol cigarettes in the City of New York by passing Intro 577-2022.
The below organizations support City Council legislation ending the sale of menthol cigarettes:
Abyssinian Baptist Church
African American Clergy and Electeds AACEO
African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC)
Agape Love Christian Center
Al Masjidu Adam Community Life Center for Human Excellence
Amazing Grace Church
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American Heart Association
American Lung Association
Anointed By God Ministries
Antioch Baptist Church
Arab American Family Support Center
Arthur Ashe Institute Health Sciences Academy
Asian Americans for Equality (AAE)
Association of Black Cardiologists
Astor Services for Children & Families
Atlantic Terminal Houses
Bethany Baptist Church
Bethesda Healing Center
Black and Latino Film Coalition
Black Lungs Matter
Broadway Presbyterian Church
Bronx Adolescent Skills Center (Vibrant Emotional Health)
Bronx Baptist Church
Bronx Cranksgiving
Brooklyn Community Pride Center
Brooklyn Community Services
Brooklyn NAACP
Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center
Brooklyn Tabernacle
Brownsville Community Baptist Church
Calvary Crosses Church
CAMBA’s Project Accept LGBT Youth (Project ALY)
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Carnegie Hill Pediatrics
Chabad of Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill and Red Hook
Charles B. Wang Community Health Center
Children’s Aid (Bronx Family Center Campus)
Chinese American Medical Society
CHINESE AMERICAN Planning Council
Chris Temple United Baptist Church
Christ Prophetic House
Christian Fellowship Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church of Christ the King
Church of the Resurrection United Church of Christ
City of Oasis Church
Claremont Healthy Village Initiative (Family Medicine)
Claremont Neighborhoods Centers, Inc.
Coalition for Asian American Children and Families
Coalition for Hispanic Family Services
College of Staten Island (CUNY) Health Center
Community Board 11 - Bronx
Community Board 5 - Bronx
Community Board 5 - Bronx
Community Board Athletic Leadership League (C-BALL)
Community Healthcare Network
Council of School Supervisors & Administrators
Covenant House
Covenant Keepers Ministries
Crisis Action Center
Destination Tomorrow-Bronx LGBT Center
Devar Chain Ministries
Diaspora Community Services
DREAM Charter School (formerly Harlem RBI)
East Flatbush Village
East New York United Concerned Citizens
Ebenzer Baptist Church
Educational Alliance (Edgies Teen Center)
El Puente
Elite Learners
Elm International Fellowship
Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities
Emanuel AME Church
Emmanuel Church of God
Faragutt Houses Tenants Association
First Baptist Church of Crown Heights
Fiver Children’s Foundation
Flatbush Development Corporation
Fordham Manor Church
Gifted Communities Services Inc.
Global Fire International
God's Battalion of Prayer Church
God’s Fellowship Temple
Grand Street Settlement
Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce
Greater Mt. Caramel Cathedral and Worship Center
Greater New Beginning Baptist Church
Greater Restoration Baptist Church
He Live Ministries
Healing Christ Church
Herunivercity
Highway & Hedges Church of Queens & Long Island
House of Prayer Mt. Sinai
Ibadur Rahman Association Inc.
In Him International Ministries
Infinity Bible Church
Ingersoll Tenant Association
International Pentecostal City Mission
Island Voice/Canvas Institute
Jamaica Branch NAACP
James Community Full Gospel Church
James E. Davis Stop Violence Foundation
Jan Hus Presbyterian Church
Jewish Community Center of Staten Island (Bernikow)
John Hus Moravian Church
John Wesley United Methodist Church
Journey to Wellness Center
Jubilant Penacostal Holy Church
Kingdom Life Ministries
Korean Community Services of Metropolitan NY
Lafayette Gardens Resident Association
Langston Hughes Apartments
Little Flock House of Prayer
Loc fest LLC
Love Alive International Sanctuary of Praise-Worship Center of New York City
Make the Road New York
Marketplace Church
Miller Evangelical Christian Union Church
Miss Abbie's Kids Inc.
Monterey Houses Tenants Association
Morning Star Highway Church
Mother AME Zion Church
Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center
Mt. Paran Baptist Church
MT. ZION CHURCH OF GOD 7TH DAY
Musa Mosque and Islamic Center
NAACP Mid-Manhattan Branch
NAACP-NYCHA branch
National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa Big Sister Education Action Center
New Alternatives for LGBT Homeless Youth
New Creation Ministries
New Journey Church of Brooklyn
New Life Community Health Center
New York City Mission Society
New York City Problem Gambling Resource Centers
New York Communities For Change (NYCC)
New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG)
New York State Public Health Association (NYSPHA)
Next Level Youth Inc/Diamonds Cheerleading
Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights (NMCIR)
Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC)
NYU Langone
Ocean Bay Community Development Corporation (OBCDC)
One Hundred Black Men of New York
Our Lady of Refuge Roman Catholic Church
Parents Against Vaping Electronic Cigarettes (PAVE)
Park Avenue United Methodist Church
Partnership to End Addiction
Pen or Pencil
Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ
Pentecostal House of Prayer
People's First Education Fund
Promised Land Covenant Church
P.S. 9 PTO
QUEENS BAPTIST CHURCH
Queens Pride House
Reflections Healing the Heart Church
Restoration Tabernacle
Richmond University Medical Center WIC Program
Rockaway Youth Task Force
Rose of Sharon Baptist Church
Salem Missonary Baptist Church
Schomburg Center Junior Scholars Program
Shelter Rock Seventh-Day Adventist Church
SIUH Staten Island Teen Risk Assessment Program
Smiling Coast Women Empowerment Network
Soundview Resident Council
St. Philip's Christian Church
St. Phillips Disciples of Christ
Staten Island NAACP
Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness
Tabernacle Christian Center
Teens Helping Each Other (THEO)
The Center for Black Health & Equity (formerly NAATPN)
The Co-op City Branch of the NAACP
The Door
The Double Love Experience
The Dream Center Harlem
The Episcopal Church of Heavenly Rest
The Groundswell Group, WEPA Coalition
The Last Call Church
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
The Metro-Manhattan (NY) Chapter of The Links, Inc.
The PILLARS NYC
Thrive Collective
Tisch Cancer Center at Mount Sinai
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
Tremont United Methodist Church
Tribe Of Judah Church
Trinity Missionary Baptist Church
True Restoration Worship Center
Twin Parks West Tenants Association
Union Community Health Center
Union Settlement -- Esperanza Preparatory Academy
Union Settlement -- MS 007
Union Settlement -- P.S. 138
Union Settlement -- Rising Stars
Union Settlement -- Washington Houses Community Center
United Community Baptist Church
United Fellowship Outreach Ministries
Universe City NYC
UPROSE
Urban Word
Walt Whitman Tenant Association
Watchful Eye
WeDance4Life Inc.
Wildlife Conservation Society Future Leaders Program
Word of Life International, Inc.
World Mission Assembly
Worldwide Association of Chaplains
Worldwide Association of Small Churches
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