Spurred by the city's historic indoor smoking ban, from 2002 to 2010, smoking among adult New Yorkers decreased 35%, from 22% of the population to 14% [PDF]. But last year, the smoking rate rose to 16%, and for the first time since 2007, there are a million smokers in the city.
A DOH release blames the increase on a drawdown in funding for anti-smoking initiatives over the past five years. "Light daily smokers"—those who smoke 1-10 cigarettes per day, now comprise 76% of all adult smokers in the city, compared to 64% in 2002, when the smoking ban was introduced.
To remind those light smokers that they are still inhaling the smoke from flaming strips of paper sprayed with formaldehyde juice, the DOH has a new ad campaign that will run on TV for the next four weeks and in the subway for the month of October.
Per legislation passed by the City Council last year, the smoking age in New York City rose to 21, and the price for for a pack of cigarettes is $10.50.
“We must take this increase in New York City smokers very seriously,” DOH Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said in the release. “We cannot lose ground on the many successes we’ve had in reducing smoking in our city. Our new ads remind New Yorkers that there is no safe level of smoking. Even smokers who have cut back are at risk for devastating health consequences.”
