New York State Report Says Tobacco Control Policies Are Effective in Reducing Tobacco Use, Including

Today, on June 2, news from foreign media reports that the New York State Department of Health's Tobacco Control Bureau has released three new reports highlighting the effectiveness of tobacco control policies implemented in New York over the past few years. One of the main findings is that tobacco use among adults and teenagers in New York continues to decline.

"These reports strongly demonstrate that our policies aimed at improving health outcomes by restricting the purchase of harmful tobacco products are effective," said Acting State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald. "The ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarette products and restrictions on certain other tobacco sales aim to prevent young people from starting a deadly addiction and encourage adults to quit smoking. We have made progress, but there is more work to be done, both in public education and policy, to address this public health threat, including continuing to push for a ban on flavored tobacco products like menthol."

New York continues to take evidence-based measures aimed at preventing youth who have not yet started smoking, as well as currently smoking teenagers, from using cigarettes, including raising prices.

The American Lung Association reports that for every 10% increase in cigarette prices, adult consumption decreases by about 4%, and youth consumption decreases by about 7%. The state's 2024 budget includes an increase in the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $1.00, bringing it to $5.35, the highest and strongest cigarette tax in the country.

Previous similar measures have proven very effective in preventing addiction and encouraging smokers to quit. In 2019, New York raised the minimum legal sales age for purchasing tobacco and e-cigarette products to 21, imposed a 20% tax on e-cigarette products, and required e-cigarette retailers to register to regulate the sale of these products to limit access, especially for young people.

Following these policies, several strategies were introduced in 2020 aimed at preventing youth access to tobacco, particularly e-cigarette products, including ending the sale of tobacco and e-cigarette products in pharmacies, banning the sale of flavored e-cigarette products, ending price discounts on tobacco products, and stopping the delivery of vaping products to private residences.

The three new departmental reports reinforce the effectiveness of national policies. The New York Youth Tobacco Survey, a school survey targeting middle and high school students, found that the use of all tobacco products is decreasing. The report shows that the smoking rate among high school students has dropped from 27.1% in 2000 to a historic low of 2.1%, representing a 92% decrease in youth smoking rates. Their e-cigarette use rate or vaping rate has decreased from a peak of 27.4% in 2018 to 18.7% in 2022, a decline of 32%.

The second report is a smoking brief using data from New York's 2019-2024 Prevention Agenda, which is New York's health improvement plan, moving towards the goal of reducing the adult smoking rate to 11% by 2024.

The third independent report examines the impact of tobacco control policies passed in 2019 and 2020, confirming the effectiveness of national tobacco control policies. This report, part of an independent evaluation of the legally mandated tobacco control program, found that after implementing the ban on flavored e-cigarette products and new restrictions on the legal age for purchasing other products, the sales and use of flavored e-cigarette products decreased statewide. The report views e-cigarette product taxation as representative of the use of these products.

The report found that New York's tobacco prevention policies are indeed achieving the intended effects, with e-cigarette product taxation immediately decreasing after the policies took effect, e-cigarette product sales declining, and youth use of e-cigarette products continuing to decrease. In recent years, tobacco-related outcomes have improved, but ongoing public health protection remains crucial, especially among young people.

One component of New York's tobacco control efforts is the ongoing need to educate the public about the harms of flavored tobacco products (including menthol cigarettes) promoted by the tobacco industry. Menthol products have been specifically marketed to attract young people as well as members of Black and Hispanic communities.

Earlier this year, a policy banning the sale of menthol tobacco products was found to have broad support from community partners and the public, with surveys showing that over half of New Yorkers support this measure. The New York State Tobacco Control Program website provides more information about the department's efforts to promote a smoke-free and e-cigarette-free society.

Michael Davoli, Senior Director of Government Relations for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said: "In tobacco control, we know what can limit use and prevent uptake among adults and youth. The results of health studies confirm what we already know—banning the sale of flavored products, restricting the sale of certain tobacco products, and providing comprehensive tobacco control programs can effectively curb tobacco use. New York leaders should view these studies as a cornerstone for generating more positive change statewide. We can start with New York City, where the city council is considering legislation to end the sale of menthol cigarettes with Intro 0577."

John Bowman, Executive Vice President of the Smoke-Free Kids Campaign, said: "The decline in tobacco use among New York youth and adults is good news, proving the effectiveness of the strong policies New York has implemented, including high tobacco taxes, banning the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, and robust prevention and cessation programs. This progress benefits all New Yorkers by protecting children, saving lives, and reducing tobacco-related healthcare costs. We urge New York to build on this progress by effectively enforcing the ban on flavored e-cigarette sales and prohibiting the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes."

Mark Meaney, Director of the Commercial Tobacco Control Project at the Public Health Law Center, said: "New data from New York State demonstrates that comprehensive, evidence-based commercial tobacco control policies protect New Yorkers from the predatory targeting of the tobacco industry. We commend New York for its tremendous success. However, to truly achieve health equity and end this epidemic, we need more state and local policies to prevent youth from using these deadly products while providing a pathway for current users to quit."

Trevor Summerfield, Advocacy Director for the American Lung Association in New York, said: "The American Lung Association commends the leadership of the New York State Department of Health's Tobacco Control Bureau in implementing policies aimed at reducing tobacco use among New York adults and youth. The news of a decrease in the number of youth starting a deadly addiction is welcome, as more adults choose to quit smoking. However, more work needs to be done to address the dangers posed by youth e-cigarette use and flavored tobacco products. The Lung Association looks forward to continuing to work with partners across the state to close loopholes around e-cigarette sales, restrict the sale of all flavored tobacco products, and work to narrow the health equity gaps that exist in vulnerable communities that have historically and continuously been targeted by the tobacco industry.