NYC Health Department Launches Tobacco Campaign Raising Awareness of Resources to Help New Yorkers Quit Smoking

"You Quit You Win" Encourages New Yorkers to Contact the New York State Quitline For Support to Quit Smoking

Tobacco is one of the Leading Causes of Death in NYC

February 24, 2026 - Today the NYC Health Department launched a paid media campaign called "You Quit, You Win" informing New Yorkers who smoke tobacco about available treatment resources. New Yorkers who are ready to quit smoking can contact the New York State Quitline or the Asian Smokers' Quitline, where they can speak with a Quit Coach and apply for a free starter kit of nicotine patches and lozenges, which most adults are eligible to receive. Nicotine medications combined with counseling can double a person's chance of successfully quitting smoking. The campaign will run citywide in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese on television, streaming, and digital ads from February 23 to March 11, and for a limited time only during the campaign, New Yorkers can double the amount of nicotine patches and lozenges they receive by contacting a quitline.

"Choosing to quit smoking remains one of the most important steps New Yorkers can take to improve their health," said NYC Health Department Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin. "Smoking is linked to a wide range of serious illnesses, from heart disease to cancer, and giving it up can dramatically lower your risk. We encourage anyone who smokes to take advantage of these free and low-cost resources. Support is just a phone call or click away."

Tobacco use significantly increases the risk of stroke, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, vascular disease, and more than ten types of cancer. The adult smoking rate in New York City has declined significantly over the past two decades. In 2002, 22 percent of adults in NYC smoked. By 2020, this rate had been reduced to 11 percent. The most recent data from 2023 indicate that the adult smoking rate is 8 percent.

Despite this, smoking continues to be a primary cause of mortality in New York City, with persistent inequities among different communities. Certain populations experience greater exposure to pro-tobacco influences, including targeted marketing and increased availability of harmful products, while simultaneously facing reduced access to protective resources, such as effective treatment support and healthy coping mechanisms.

Tobacco treatment programs are also available in the NYC Health Department's Tremont and East Harlem Neighborhood Health Action Centers to better support communities hit hardest by smoking inequities. New Yorkers who smoke or vape can access coaching and receive a starter kit with nicotine patches and lozenges, regardless of their readiness to quit. These medications provide nicotine without the harmful and cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarette smoke and vaping aerosol.

In November 2023, the NYC Health Department launched HealthyNYC, a campaign to improve and extend the lives of New Yorkers by addressing the leading causes of premature death including screenable cancers like lung cancer. To help address this condition, the NYC Health Department aims to reduce screenable cancers by 20 percent by 2030. As a leading cause of chronic disease, including cancer, reducing smoking can significantly increase life expectancy in New York City.

Tobacco Treatment Resources

• If you smoke or vape, tobacco treatment options are available to help you stay comfortable - whether you want to quit, cut back, or just avoid smoking or vaping when you want to such as at work or with family.
  • Talk to your health care provider about medication options and counseling to help you manage cravings, whether or not you're ready to quit. Most health insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover medications and counseling.
  • Visit nyc.gov/healthmap to find local tobacco treatment programs.
• If you are ready to quit, you can visit the New York State 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 vape.
• • New Yorkers ages 13-17 can sign up for free, confidential texting support to quit vaping at dropthevape.org.
• For more information on available resources, visit nyc.gov/nycquits.

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