Up In Smoke: Government Funding Vanishes, Smoking Rates Rise

After years of decline, smoking is on the rise in New York City. While pointing to reductions in state and city spending on anti-smoking campaigns, advocates hope this Thursday, November 20, will be a turning point as smokers in New York and elsewhere are encouraged to decline lighting up for American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout. Anti-smoking groups hope smokers will keep their resolve going after Thursday and bring down New York City’s smoking rate, which crept up from 14 percent in 2010 to 16 percent in 2013 despite bans on smoking in bars, restaurants and other places, and one of the highest taxes on a pack of cigarettes in any municipality.

 

http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/government/5442-up-in-smoke-government-funding-vanishes-smoking-rates-rise