New York has mixed results in working to reduce tobacco use in 2013; still leading cause of preventable death and disease
(NEW YORK, NY) New York is failing to adequately fund programs that keep kids from starting to smoke and help smokers quit, according to the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2014 report released today. In fact, in 2013 the Empire State cut funding for its already severely underfunded tobacco control program by $2 million from last year, making the total spending just 16.3% of what is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Less than a week after the release of the 50th anniversary U.S. Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health, State of Tobacco Control 2014 issues an urgent call to action to policymakers across the country to reverse their present course and commit to eliminating tobacco-caused death and disease. The latest Surgeon General’s report warns 5.6 million of today’s youth will die from tobacco use unless swift action is taken.
“New York’s report card on tobacco control is not one any parent will be proudly hanging on their refrigerator,” said Michael Seilback, Vice President, Public Policy & Communications for the American Lung Association of the Northeast. “While our cigarette tax remains the highest in the nation and our comprehensive indoor smokefree air laws stand strong, our state’s leaders continually fail to adequately fund New York’s tobacco control program which is vital to keeping kids off tobacco and helping smokers quit. We call on Governor Cuomo and the state legislature to restore funding to the state’s tobacco control program to $85 million.”
New York received the following grades for 2013:
| Tobacco Prevention Control and Spending | F |
| Smokefree Air | A |
| Cigarette Tax | A |
| Cessation | F |
The failure of the federal and state governments to implement proven policies resulted in 20 million preventable deaths from tobacco use from 1964-2014, including 2.5 million from secondhand smoke. The 2014 Surgeon General’s report found that almost half a million lives are unnecessarily lost each year due to tobacco, as well as $280 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity.
The Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2014, its 12th annual report, tracks yearly progress on key tobacco control policies at the federal and state level, assigning grades based on whether laws are adequately protecting citizens from the enormous toll tobacco use takes on lives and the economy. Tobacco-related diseases, such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), other cancers, heart disease and stroke kill almost half a million Americans each year.
“With Friday’s release of the 50th anniversary Surgeon General’s report on Smoking and Health, Acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Admiral (RADM) Boris D. Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H declared “enough is enough” and that we must do more if we are going to protect Americans from the burden of tobacco use,” said Jeff Seyler, President & CEO of the American Lung Association of the Northeast. “Smoking is responsible for almost 500,000 deaths in this country annually and our state leaders must act now so that we may prevent more Americans from getting sick and dying from tobacco-related disease. The battle against the tobacco epidemic is not over.”
Tobacco causes an estimated 25,432 deaths in New York Island annually and costs the state’s economy $14 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity, a tremendous burden that our state can ill afford.
Priorities that must be addressed to improve New York’s State of Tobacco Control© grades in 2014 include:
- increasing funding to the state’s tobacco control program,
- ensuring that the price of all tobacco products are uniformly high,
- and increasing the availability of smokefree environments by both state and local governments.
“Leaders in New York must step up to provide more smokers with the resources they so desperately need to quit and adequately fund prevention programs that help keep our kids off tobacco,” continued Seilback.
Meanwhile, the tobacco industry continued its ruthless pursuit of addicting new users and keeping current users from quitting in 2013. This included efforts at the federal and state levels to exempt their products from meaningful public health protections.
The three largest cigarette manufacturers—Altria, Reynolds American, and Lorillard—continued their aggressive expansion into other tobacco products in 2013. As cigarette use continues to gradually decline, these companies continue to maintain their power over America’s youth and reap profits from smokeless tobacco, cigars and now e-cigarettes.
“We urge everyone in New York to join with the American Lung Association in renewing their commitment to preventing another 50 years of tobacco-caused death and disease,” continued Seyler.
About the American Lung Association of the Northeast
The American Lung Association of the Northeast is part of the American Lung Association, the oldest voluntary health organization in the U.S. Established in 1904 to combat tuberculosis; our mission today is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. The focus is on air quality, asthma, tobacco control, and all lung disease. The American Lung Association in the Northeast serves CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI and VT. www.LungNE.org
