Adults smoking rates in New York City has increased and it may be tied to the city’s lack of investment in antismoking campaigns, according to a report released by the Independent Budget Office.
The report is based on a study by the American Cancer Society based on guidelines set by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that states New York State has not invested enough funding in anti-smoking efforts during the last fiscal year. RELATED:This Week in Health: Why are some people aging faster than others? Although the city’s tobacco control plan has been in existence since 2002, the impact of the plan on smoking adults fall into a gap due to the lag from when new initiatives are launched and the time it takes a person to quit. The city has enforced and advocated anti-smoking legislation, ran public education campaigns and hiked taxes on tobacco products, but city rates have increased to 16.1 percent in 2013, just 1.7 percent below the national average. RELATED:Fetuses frown and touch mouth when mother’s smoke, according to study Health department officials are concerned that smoking rates will continue to climb if the city’s funding continues to decline.
Currently $5.0 million is budgeted for anti smoking campaigns, which is half the amount spent in 2014.
Anti-smoking campaign lack of funding tied to adults smoking increase
