New York City Health Department Continues To Lead Decades-Long Tobacco Efforts

New York City Health Department Continues To Lead Decades-Long Tobacco Efforts

Health Department enlists New Yorkers to imagine a city free from the harms of tobacco products

New York City is part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities - A Global Network of Cities Committed to Preventing Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries

April 15, 2025 - The New York City Health Department (NYC Health Department) has joined forces with several community-based organizations that represent New Yorkers who are significantly affected by the harms of commercial tobacco and nicotine products to collectively imagine ways to create a city free from the harms of these products.

"New York City is a leader in the fight against the tobacco and vape industries and is even stronger when this work happens in partnership with the communities that are the most impacted," said New York City Health Department Acting Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. "We thank the Partnership for Healthy Cities Initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Vital Strategies, and the World Health Organization for funding this collaborative effort to address one of the leading preventable causes of death in our city."

Through a competitive process, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, Latino Commission on AIDS, and Center for Independence of the Disabled in NY (CIDNY), received grants to hold listening sessions and share tobacco-related educational messaging. The educational messaging across all contractors reached over 50,000 people on digital platforms. The listening sessions, which took place over the course of two months, reached New Yorkers of various ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation, and disability status. Session participants engaged in interactive activities that gathered their perspectives on the impact of tobacco and e-cigarettes.

Attendees reported caring most about seeing the following changes:

• Improved health for themselves and their communities
• More neighborhood stores that follow strict restrictions on sales and advertising of these products
• Less waste and a cleaner environment

Funding for these community grants came from New York City's participation in the Partnership for Healthy Cities initiative, a global network of 74 cities committed to preventing noncommunicable diseases and injuries. The Partnership for Healthy Cities is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the global health organization, Vital Strategies. The NYC Health Department was awarded $100,000 in 2024 to galvanize stakeholders from across the city to combat the harms of commercial tobacco and nicotine products, like e-cigarettes (vapes). The NYC Health Department will continue to be a member of this important initiative throughout 2025.

For decades, New York City has been a leader in tobacco control efforts, implementing ground-breaking policies and programmatic efforts. The adult smoking rate in New York City was halved from 22% in 2002 to 11% in 2020; most recently, it stood at 8% in 2023.

Smoking remains a leading cause of death in New York City and tobacco inequities persist. Some communities are disproportionately exposed to factors that encourage smoking and vaping -- like industry messaging or access to harmful products -- and have fewer protective factors, such as access to healthy coping resources or treatment support.

Additionally, industry innovations and aggressive promotion of newer products, such as e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco products, may lead to a new generation being hooked on these highly addictive commercial nicotine products.

"As a federally qualified health center and community-based organization, it is mission-critical to allow spaces for the community we serve to voice their opinions on the services we provide, how we provide them, and how we can improve them to best meet their needs," said Edmond Loi, Population Health Grants Manager at the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center.

"Freedom from the harms of tobacco and nicotine would improve community health, reduce healthcare costs, foster social equity, leading to healthier communities and reduced health disparities," said Karina Escamilla, Deputy Director of the Latino Religious Leadership Program at the Latino Commission on AIDS.

"CIDNY's tobacco listening event highlighted the impact of tobacco on the disabled community, giving them a voice in health advocacy. It raised awareness, promoted smoke-free spaces, and supported policies for better health, access, and equity for disabled New Yorkers," said Courtney Spaulding, Manager of Education and Training at the Center for Independence for the Disabled in NY.

Additional grant funds were allocated to Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes to conduct a digital run of Vapes are Trash, a campaign focused on the environmental harms of e-cigarettes and tobacco/e-cigarette waste. E-cigarettes contain plastic, electronic components, and liquid nicotine, which is considered hazardous waste. In 2023, the New York City Department of Sanitation collected 500 tons of e-cigarette waste in household trash and recycling.

These activities parallel citywide action against unlawful distribution of such products. After Mayor Adams successfully advocated for and won legal authority to seal illegal cannabis shops last year that state law originally failed to grant the city, the administration launched "Operation Padlock to Protect," which, since May 2024, has already sealed over 1,370 smoke shops and taken over $94 million in illegal e-cigarette and cannabis products off city streets. The City of New York recently filed a federal lawsuit against nine of the largest nationwide distributors of disposable e-cigarettes. The defendants - all of whom have close relationships with e-cigarette manufacturers in China - are alleged to be distributing e-cigarettes with such youth-attracting flavors as pink lemonade, watermelon, banana ice, lychee ice, and cool mint to sub-distributors in the city that then supply them to retail stores or sell them directly to consumers in New York City and around the country through online sales, violating nearly every applicable federal, New York state, and New York City law governing the sale of e-cigarettes.

Tobacco Treatment Resources

If you are interested in quitting, cutting back or staying smoke- or vape-free when you want to, help is available.

• Talk to your health care provider about tobacco treatment medications and counseling options to help you manage cravings, whether or not you're ready to quit. Most health insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover medications and counseling.
  • Visit and search the NYC Health Map to find local tobacco treatment programs.
• If you are ready to quit, you can visit the New York State Smokers' Quitline, or call 866-NY-QUITS (866-697-8487), to apply for a free starter kit of nicotine medications and to talk to a quit coach.
• • If your preferred language is Chinese (800-838-8917), Korean (800-556-5564) or Vietnamese (800-778-8440), call or visit the Asian Smokers' Quitline.
• Help is also available for youth and young adults who want to quit vaping.
  • New Yorkers ages 13-24 can text "DROPTHEVAPE" to 88709 for free, 24/7, anonymous and confidential support to quit vaping.
• For more information on available resources, visit nyc.gov/nycquits.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Chantal Gomez
Pressoffice@health.nyc.gov