Tobacco Control Programs Save Lives And Money

The Smoking and Health Action Coalition and Health Systems Partners Educate State Lawmakers About Tobacco Control Programs and Unmet Needs Among Underserved Communities

While New York State's average smoking rates are at all-time lows, rates remain high among certain population groups.

Rochester, NY - (March 29, 2022) - As a partner in the New York State Tobacco Control Program, The Smoking and Health Action Coalition (SHAC) and Health Systems Partners recently met with Assembly members Harry Bronson (District 138), Marjorie Byrnes (District 133), Sarah Clark (District 136), Josh Jensen (District 134) and Demond Meeks (District 137) to talk about the success of their efforts reducing statewide smoking rates while stressing the unmet needs in tobacco control efforts among underserved communities and populations.

According to reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New York State Department of Health, the state’s average adult and high school-age smoking rates have dropped to their lowest in history, 12.8%[i] and 2.4%[ii] respectively. At the same time, throughout New York State, smoking rates are highest among adults who report frequent mental distress at 27.7%; adults with less than a high school education, at 21.5%; and adults with an annual household income of less than $25,000, at 20.4%. [iii] E-cigarette use among New York’s high school-age youth is dangerously high at 22.5%, as well.ii

“While smoking rates continue to drop, menthol and other flavors remain a significant contributor to tobacco initiation and addiction in New York State and beyond,” said Alexandra Popovici, SHAC’s Director. “These flavors continue to harm our community in many ways.” According to the New York State Department of Health, menthol cigarettes are used by over half of all adult smokers (52%). Black and Hispanic adults smoke menthol almost exclusively at 86% and 72% respectively.

New York State Tobacco Control and Health Systems Partners have contributed substantially to the drop in tobacco use rates through policy-driven, cost-effective and evidence-based approaches. These approaches are now further focused on communities and populations with high tobacco use rates.

“The health systems we work with serve populations of smokers and vape users who have the highest use rates, including those at or below the poverty level and those with severe mental illnesses,” said Dr. McIntosh, Director of the Center for Tobacco-Free Finger Lakes and Co-Director of the Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Research Program at University of Rochester Medical Center. “We must support these medical and behavioral health systems to increase their effective strategies to screen for and successfully treat nicotine addiction.”

E-cigarette Use/Vaping Plagues High School-Age Youth

When New York State ended the sale of flavored e-cigarettes statewide in May 2020, it was a significant step toward reducing youth tobacco use. However, e-cigarette use remains the most used tobacco product among youth, 22.5%.ii More than half of teens falsely believe e-cigarettes are harmless.[iv] However, research shows that youth who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to start smoking conventional cigarettes than their peers who do not vape. Nicotine exposure can cause addiction and prime the adolescent brain for other addictions, including opioid addiction.[v]

“The youth vaping epidemic has only exacerbated the youth mental health crisis, creating a vicious cycle for our youth” says Hannah Weltzer, Community Engagement Coordinator for SHAC. “The research is there. We continue to reach out to our community and educate our community on the short-term and long-term impacts of nicotine on the developing brain. Parents, teachers and youth are reporting issues with attention, learning, memory and anxiety.”

The Costs of Tobacco Use in New York State

Each year, 22,000 New Yorkers die due to smoking, and thousands more live with illnesses related to tobacco use.[vi],[vii] Addressing tobacco use remains as important as ever given that smokers and former smokers are at increased risk of developing severe illness if they get COVID-19.[viii]

In New York State, annual health care costs directly caused by smoking are estimated to be $9.7 billion,viii a tax burden of $937 for each household every year.[ix] To combat the deadly impact of smoking, the CDC recommends a $203 million annual investment in New York State’s Tobacco Control Program; the state’s current investment is $39 million.[x]

Support Available for New Yorkers Who Want to Quit

For help quitting smoking or vaping, including free nicotine replacement therapy for eligible residents, individuals can contact a health care provider, and call the New York State Smokers’ Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS or visit: nysmokefree.com. The Quitline’s highly trained team members provide coaching seven days a week and empower tobacco users to set a quit-date and develop a quit-plan. Effective medications and counseling are covered by Medicaid and most insurance programs.

The Smoking and Health Action Coalition is funded by the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control and is administered by the American Lung Association to increase support for New York State’s tobacco-free norm through youth action and community engagement. Efforts are evidence-based, policy-driven, and cost-effective approaches that decrease youth tobacco use, motivate adult smokers to quit, and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke.

Health Systems for a Tobacco-Free New York is a network of grantees, covering 62 NYS counties, working with health care systems to improve the reach and delivery of evidence-based tobacco dependence treatment to all New Yorkers who use tobacco products. The Finger Lakes Regional Center for Tobacco Health Systems with the University of Rochester covers 11 counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming.

Contact Alexandra Popovici for more information or to request an interview. Alexandra.Popovici@Lung.Org

[i] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health. BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data CDC, 2020. https://nccd.cdc.gov/BRFSSPrevalence/rdPage.aspx?rdReport=DPH_BRFSS.ExploreByTopic&irbLocationType=StatesAndMMSA&islClass=CLASS17&islTopic=TOPIC15&islYear=2020&rdRnd=54125 (accessed 2/08/22)

[ii] NYS Dept. of Health, Tobacco Control Program, StatShots 2021-Vol. 14, Numbers 1-4. Milestones in Tobacco Control: Youth Tobacco Use Declines Across All Product Types in 2020, Lowest Youth Smoking Rate on Record, StatShot Vo. 14, No.3/Sept 2021. https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/tobacco_control/reports/statshots/ (accessed 02/08/22)

[iii] NYS Dept. of Health, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, BRFSS Brief No. 2021-01, Cigarette Smoking New York State Adults, 2018. https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/brfss/reports/docs/2021-01_brfss_cigarette_smoking.pdf (accessed 03/02/22).

[iv] NYS Dept. of Health, Tobacco Control Program, Get the Facts, E-Cigarettes and Similar Vapor Products. https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/tobacco_control/campaign/e-cigarettes/ (accessed 02/08/22)

[v] Food and Drug Administration. Oct. 12, 2021. “FDA Permits Marketing of E-Cigarette Products, Marking First Authorization of Its Kind by the Agency.” https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-permits-marketing-e-cigarette-products-marking-first-authorization-its-kind-agency (accessed 02/08/2022)

[vi] Research Triangle Institute, The Health and Economic Burden of Smoking in New York, November 2020 RTI Tobacco Report1 Economic Burden.pdf (ny.gov) (Accessed 01/07/22)

[vii] New York State Department of Health, Smoking and Disease (ny.gov) (Accessed 01/07/2022)

[viii] Centers for Disease Control; People with Certain Medical Conditions. Smoking, current or former. Updated Dec. 14, 2021 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html (accessed 02/02/2022)

[ix] Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/problem/toll-us/new_york (accessed 01/07/2022)

[x] Centers for Disease Control; Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs; Section C; Recommended Funding Levels, by State: New York Page 110; https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/stateandcommunity/best_practices/pdfs/2014/comprehensive.pdf