If you thought the War on Tobacco ended with Bloomberg's reign, think again. Governor Cuomo has just launched a $9 million initiative to help local groups working to create tobacco-free communities, and he WILL NOT REST until every last bag of Bugler is burned up in a pyre made of Marlboro cartons. Thankfully, there's only one-ish more season of Mad Men, so Don Draper's safe for now.
According to a press release out of Cuomo's camp, the governor plans to award about $9.4 million over the next five years to groups promoting a tobacco-free existence, as part of the state's new Advancing Tobacco Free Communities initiative. "Tobacco addiction is still the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in New York State as well as the United States,” State Health Commissioner Nirav R. Shah said in a statement. “If we can work together to create a tobacco-free state, we can significantly lessen the impact of tobacco on the lives of all New Yorkers.”
Organizations that participate in the program will be required to work with youths to help teach them how to avoid aggressive tobacco marketing. They will also have to team up with local lawmakers to help come up with better anti-tobacco policies, like banning smoking in public outdoor areas and cutting down on stores that sell cigarettes.
It looks like Albany's taking a leaf out of NYC's book; over the past decade or so, the city did everything from banning cigarettes in city parks to raising the tobacco purchase age from 18 to 21. It's also probably worth noting that nicotine is considered the most addictive substance known to man, topping heroin and cocaine, and a pack of cigarettes is goddamn expensive.
