Here’s a new infographic on the history of smoking.
By 1971, restrictions on public smoking began to appear. At the turn of the century, the UK banned smoking ads.
If City Council passes the proposed tobacco control legislation, New York City will become the first in the nation to keep tobacco products out of sight in retail stores and raise the minimum smoking age to 21.
Some NYC convenience store owners claim that Mayor Bloomberg and City Council’s proposed tobacco control legislation will reduce the number of tobacco retailers in our City and cause the loss of retail jobs.
We’ve heard this argument before. Ten years ago, the NYC Smoke-Free Air Act went into effect to ensure that all New Yorkers would be able to breathe clean, smoke-free air in the workplace, regardless of whether they work in a high-rise office or neighborhood restaurant or bar. Many people opposed the bill, and they tried to stop it. They warned of dire predictions about how the ban would lead to job losses and lost tax revenue.
They were wrong.
With tobacco use still the number one cause of preventable death here in New York City and nationwide, smoke-free public health organizations are always looking for college and graduate school interns for a range of projects. The Coalition is pleased to welcome Zoe Sakas, who will contribute to our blog over the summer and help with communications, research, and youth-focused initiatives. Read on for more about Zoe and the work she is doing in her own words:
“I am a born-and-raised New Yorker, who grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. After finishing my freshman year of college at Fordham University in the Bronx, I am excited to start my summer internship at the NYC Coalition for a Smoke-Free City.
As a pre-med student, I am passionate about public health, and interested in combining research with action and initiatives that create tangible results and a healthier world. I have always wanted to make a difference, and protecting the health of others is the perfect way to do that. As summer approached, I wanted to find an organization to work for that promoted the importance of healthy living in New York City and represented the progression of healthy living nationwide.
Truthfully, I never had pictured New York City as “smoke-free.” There are many people in my life who smoke, and it is something I’ve experienced every day whether through a fellow pedestrian blowing smoke in my face or a flashy advertisement catching my eye. Already, after working at the Coalition for just a few days and learning how much has already been accomplished, I now see a smoke-free city as a serious possibility, and one that I am eager to help accomplish. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death, and regardless of the resources already out there, an active effort is still needed to end the tobacco epidemic.
For my first assignment, I discovered that people who identify as LGBT smoke at rates 70 percent higher than the general population, and in New York City, 80 percent of all adult smokers began smoking before the age of 21. Tobacco marketing specifically targets the LGBT community and young people, taking advantage of the stress that comes with finding yourself and wanting to fit in. This summer, I am looking forward to learning more about public health and tobacco control as it relates to the LGBT community and New York City youth, with the ultimate goal of raising awareness and creating an environment that does not promote the deadly health consequences of tobacco.”
Please join us in welcoming Zoe to the Coalition and be sure to check back for more of her work later this summer!
May 31, 2013. Today is World No Tobacco Day.
The message from the World Health Organization to governments around the globe is to ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. That’s to try and prevent children from taking up smoking and to encourage smokers to quit. Tobacco kills nearly six million people every year, and the numbers are only expected to rise.
Our new infographic on “The Impact of Secondhand Smoke” won a Gold Award in the Print Category, one of The 2013 Communicator Awards, which are given by the International Academy of the Visual Arts. With over 6000 entries received from across the US and around the world, the Communicator Awards is the largest and most competitive awards program honoring the creative excellence for communications professionals.
Please feel free to share our new infographic. We’ve recently translated the infographic into Spanish and Chinese as well.
The Communicator Awards are judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), a 600+ member organization of leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media. Current IAVA membership represents a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms including: AirType Studio, Condè Nast, Disney, Keller Crescent, Lockheed Martin, Monster.com, MTV, rabble+rouser, Time Inc., Tribal DDB, Yahoo!, and many others. See www.iavisarts.org for more information.
The NYC Coalition hopes that our award-winning infographic will help everyone understand that in a multiple dwelling, when one person smokes, the whole building smokes.
Marie Wilkins
On May 2, 2013, the New York City Council Health Committee heard testimony from community members on the proposed legislation that is meant to reduce youth access and addiction to tobacco products.
Marie Wilkins, a woman from the Bronx who suffers from Buerger’s Disease, a smoking-related illness that attacks the blood vessels and can lead to amputations, was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal. She believes the City should move to prevent young people from a dangerous addiction.
“After my leg was amputated all I could think of was getting a cigarette,” Wilkins, whose story has been featured in anti-smoking ad-campaigns, told the committee from a motorized wheelchair. “If that’s not addiction, I don’t know what is.”
Marie’s testimony was submitted to the City Council Health Committee. We’d like to share her testimony:
I’m here today because I am a victim of smoking. I have Berger’s Disease which is a terrible circulation disease. It stops oxygen and blood from flowing freely through your arteries. This then causes amputations, which I have had several (leg, partial foot and several fingertips). This disease is unbelievably cruel and painful and it comes from smoking, which is so addictive.
Let me give you an example. After my leg was amputated, all I could think of was getting out of the hospital so I could get a cigarette. Now if that’s not addictive, I don’t know what is. Luckily, I got help, and I am proud to say it will be seven years May 15th that I will be smoke-free. I hope my story inspires those who are trying to stop smoking to get help, and for those who don’t smoke, helps them to never start. Not everyone who smokes will get this disease, but why take that chance of being that unlucky one, LIKE ME?
Mayor Bloomberg is trying to stop stores from subjecting our young adults and children from seeing ads, posters and cigarettes as soon as they enter the store. A section all the way in the back of the store sounds good to me. After all, out of sight, out of mind. I endorse this idea and I hope you will too. Let’s try to keep cigarettes as far away as we can and try to encourage people to see what smoking really does. Thank You.”
Thank you, Marie, for sharing your story:
