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Health chief defends nicotine patch 

The city's top health official yesterday adamantly defended his free nicotine patch program against harsh criticism from Staten Island lawmakers, who said the money for the initiative would have been better spent on school nurses for parochial and private schools.

Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden said the $2.5 million patch program -- funded primarily through the agency's budget for tobacco control -- saved more lives at less expense to taxpayers than any other short-term alternative.

"I cannot think of a better way this money could have been spent," Dr. Frieden told Councilman James Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn) during a City Council Health Committee hearing. "I don't know of another program that can save thousands of lives at a cost of $2,000 per person."

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