October 29, 2010 - Smoking-related deaths in New York dropped 17 percent in the past eight years and the number of smokers has fallen by nearly a third, according to the city's health department. It said the number of people dying from smoking-related illnesses has fallen to about 7,200 in 2009 from 8,700 in 2002, coinciding with a tough anti-smoking campaign by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. (NY City - smokers kicking the addiction and living longer than ever..)
Bloomberg banned smoking in bars and restaurants in 2003 and he recently proposed expanding that ban to parks, beaches, boardwalks, pedestrian plazas and other outdoor public spaces. (New York City - City Council moves one step closer to extending smoking ban to parks and beaches..)
"We have reduced the number of adult smokers by 350,000 and prevented thousands of premature deaths," New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said in a statement. "This is good news, but smoking still kills more than 7,000 New Yorkers each year, and thousands more will suffer smoking-induced strokes, heart attacks, debilitating lung diseases and cancers," he said.
Click to enlarge..
The city has also given out free nicotine patches and gum to 250,000 New Yorkers since 2003, helping 80,000 smokers quit, the department said. Graphic advertisements depicting damage to the body by smoking also convinced people to quit, it added.
Reference: NYC says smoking deaths drop 17 percent in eight years, Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Patricia Reaney, Reuters, 10/28/2010.
NYC directly related:
New York City - does it the RIGHT WAY, bans most forms of flavored tobacco products..;
New York City - City Council moves one step closer to extending smoking ban to parks and beaches..;
New York City - Poospatuck Reservation stores (2) caught selling cigarettes to bootleggers..;
New York City - smoking ban enforced, club fined and closed for letting patrons smoke inside..:
New York City - Mayor Bloomberg still mulling over smoking ban at NYC parks, beaches..;
New York City - Department of Health cracking down on smoking at outside areas at bars and other places....;
New York City - more on the anti-smoking signs lawsuit against Department of Health..;
New York City - Mayor Bloomberg still considering smoking ban in parks and beaches.. - Get It Done Already!!;
Big tobacco companies file lawsuit contesting NY City's anti-smoking signs..;
New York City - federal judge rejects plaintiffs attempt to stop the law that blocks the sale of flavored tobacco products..;
New York City - moving closer to closing a nighclub that flouted smoking ban..;
New York City - VIDEO: starting March 1, 2010 stores, anti-smoking signs..;
NYC Lawsuit against Online Cigarette Vendor Dismissed..;
NY City - smokers kicking the addiction and living longer than ever..;
NY City Council not backing down as US Smokeless Tobacco files lawsuit against city..;
New York City - ban on flavored tobacco products becomes law..;
New York City bans the sale of flavored tobacco products..;
New York City - Mayor Bloomberg pushing ahead to ban smoking in city parks and beaches..;
New York City - all retailers selling tobacco will be required to post warning signs..;
New York City - to ask public opinion - smoking graphic warning signs; New York City - proposed pictorial warning signs to show the sickness and suffering caused by tobacco use.;
New York City - may ban smoking in parks and beaches..;
New York City - can't sue Internet cigarette retailers for lost taxes..;
New CDC Chief Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH..;
New York City Council ban candy-flavored tobacco, smoking outside of hospitals..;
New York - city and state officials back off plans to crack down on cigarette black market..;
New York City - nonsmokers exposed to cigarette smoke..;
New York City - cigarettes more than $10- a- pack..;
NYC can move forward with reservation cigarette lawsuit..;
Michael Rubens Bloomberg - ELF Award winner 2008;
NYC sues reservation smoke shops over bootlegging..;
NYC Fights Smoking With Reality Images in Matchbooks..;
NY City Can Proceed With Lawsuits Against 10 Online Cigarette Vendors..;
NYC Warns Parents of Smoking Lawsuits...
Read more...