Tobacco.org

Funding anti-tobacco programs saves us in the long run  

The 2008 Independent Evaluation report of the New York State Tobacco Control Program was recently released, and the news is good.

Our tobacco control program in New York is working, and working well. Both youth and adult smoking rates are declining significantly faster than the rates for the U.S. as a whole.

The smoking rates in Putnam, Orange, Westchester and Rockland counties are at or significantly under the national smoking rate.

Support for the Clean Indoor Air Act is continuing to grow every year, and anti-tobacco attitudes are increasing. Even though our programs are funded at one-third of the funding levels that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for the size of our state, these programs are having an effect. This saves lives and saves us money. Continued program funding cuts will jeopardize the gains we are already seeing.

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